Alternative Paths,
by twilliams1797
Summary: begins right after the events at the DoM, Hermione's in the hospital wing, Harry's...off somewhere, and he comes back with an actual plan.
1. Chapter 1

from 2007, the start of a story that I wrote and published on Ficwad

It was called

Alternative Paths.

From the time he had left the Headmasters office after hearing the prophecy, it appeared that Harry was lost in thought, mostly because he was. He had plans, lots of plans to make, and a lot of things to get in line before he was forced back to Privet Drive. He was at this point letting his inner Slytherin out, being cunning and somewhat ambitious, During the fiasco in the Department of Mysteries his best friend was terribly hurt, and at that point he realized exactly how much she meant to him, and what he would be willing to do to prevent anything from happening to her again. It began when Dumbledore had shown Harry the prophecy that had overrun his life for the past 15 years.. Harry realized what had been done to control him, and keep him under control, he realized that the headmaster was directly responsible for the death of his parents, and for the unfair imprisonment of Sirius Black. he also realized the extent to which he had been manipulated for the last 15 years, being told information selectively, half truths and outright disambiguation. Dumbledore had just shown him the prophecy and explained the situation where Snape had scurried off and told his real master the part of the prophecy he had heard, which led directly to the deaths of James and Lily Potter, the assault on the Longbottoms, and the stories told which created the public image of the "Boy Who Lived" That whole story had no way to confirm it, because no one was there to witness it, unless of course Wormtail was hiding there somewhere. Harry added that name to the list.

While standing in Dumbledore's office he spied an object familiar to him, a time turner, the one Hermione had used while in the third year, Harry exploded with an emotional outburst, trashing the headmasters office, gadgets and devices flying everywhere, at least that is what it looked like to an outside observer.. Harry kept his mind focused on the death of his godfather, kept the rage burning as artifacts flew around the room. Perfect cover for the time turner to fly off the shelf where it was and insert itself into his pants pocket. That event over and an apparently exhausted Harry trudged up to Gryffindor tower, his mind racing at literally a thousand kilometers a second while fabricating plans. He disappeared into his room and got his cloak, invisibly going to the seventh floor and entering the come and go room. It was a bit of a cliche' using that room, and Harry realized this, so to make sure he did not make any mistakes or assumptions, he entered a completely black room that was defined by a grid of yellow lines. "Chairs,table, lamp, " the items appeared "Dobby" the elf appeared. "What does the great wizard Harry Potter need? "Sit please, we have much to discuss" Dobby hopped up into the chair, as Harry sat in the other. "Dobby, I know you will be willing to bind yourself to me, but before I make that offer I want to discuss terms with you, ok? Dobby nodded without saying anything.. he was smart enough to anticipate he master's needs. Harry did not yet realize that Dobby had already bonded to him. " I need someone who can be objective with me, and check that I don't make mistakes that get anybody else killed, I need someone who can get me what I need at a moments notice, and bypass the limits placed on me by the Headmaster, the Ministry and by the Dursleys." Dobby nodded "I can do that Master Harry" Harry grinned "and my biggest problem, at least with you and Winky, if she joins us, is Hermione." Dobby paused a moment and thought.. "I thinks that Miss Grangey just doesn't understand us house elfs.. we NEED the magic of our masters to survive, we will die without it" Harry looked pensive for a moment.."well, there's no excuse for treating someone like a slave, or abusing them , right? " Dobby nodded in agreement.. "Alright then, I think we will need to explain it correctly , that's all. "

"Now then, we have 5 days left before the end of semester, and I intend to use that time as completely as possible." he pulled the time turner out of the pocket and showed it to Dobby. "You know what this is?" Dobby looked closely at the object in his hand, "It is a time twister, very powerful magic" Harry nodded, putting the chain around his neck, yes it is, I need to take as much study and training and preparation time as possible, and I cannot run into myself, even once. so I need several places to be, for a period of .." he looked at the engraving on the bottom of the device.." 168 hours, seven days at most.. " "also I need a way to get around and not be seen, time to sleep and eat, .." "Let Dobby take care of that. you need to see miss Grangey first" Dobby stood and took Harry by the arm, and was about to jump, when Harry stopped him. "First, though..Dobby will you agree to be bound to me and the house of Potter, and keep our secrets, ?" Dobby nodded, "Dobby has already bonded himself to Harry Potter, but Dobby will bind himself to the house of Clan Potter." Harry looked surprised, and then knelt down to look Dobby straight in the eyes.. "I Harry Potter of the House and Clan Potter, offer my protection and magic to the being known as Dobby, of the Elf race, as long as we both agree to it", furthermore if Dobby or his children wish to be free, they have my permission in perpetuity." A glowing bond enveloped and joined Harry and Dobby, they both felt it, and it felt right. "That includes Winky if she desires it" Harry raised an eyebrow in question to Dobby. the elf nodded and took Harry's arm, "I will talk to her after we go" they popped away. The room regarded itself for a few moments and then reconfigured itself to a potions lab, a runes study area, and sleeping and exercise areas.

Mme Pomfrey did a final check for the evening, ran her wand over the wound across the torso of Hermione Granger, it glowed with a pinkish orange glow, from her left shoulder to her right hip, Hermione was not particularly comfortable, , she had to wear the universal garment of hospitals, an open at the back gown, She had to take potions that were not the best tasting, nor did they sit well in her stomach, plus the topical potion she had to have on the actual wound itself, although it kept things clean and free of infection, it stunk with a particularly sour smell, not to mention it was sticky, just plain gross, she thought. The wound was healing, it had stopped weeping blood the day before, so she was finally off the blood restorative potion, and at this point she was down to three a day, morning and evening. All this was bad enough on its own, but she was bored spitless, she couldn't study, read, write, or anything. she wished there was something like the wizarding version of a cell phone, at least then she could call her mum and grandmum. Hermione tried to sleep , but she was all slept out, The ward door opened and Crookshanks shouldered his way in, , strolled over to her bed and jumped up, walked right up the blanket and plonked himself down at her side, "Ooh what a good boy you are, you came to keep me company" Hermione scratched the furry familiar around the back of his neck and ears. Mme Pomfrey looked out the office door and saw that the half kneazle was the one who had opened the ward door and set off her door alarm. She nodded and reset the charm, and went back to her quarters. Dilly the house elf did her work quietly on the other side of the ward, while keeping an eye on the patient . Hermione was nodding off and she felt a weight press down on the mattress beside her. Opening her brown eyes in the dark she saw nothing, but sensed a presence. She wasn't worried, because Crookshanks didn't make any move toward the weight, just blinked in assent.

"Hermione" Harry's voice whispered in her ear.. she closed her eyes and smiled. "are you sleepy? She kept her eyes closed and murmured "No.. I'm glad you're here" she felt him settle down on the mattress beside her, albeit on top of the blanket "how are you doing? Are you getting out of here soon? " She felt warm and finally whole. "I..I'm getting there, but its so bloody boring here.." she grinned "I know now why you always try to escape when you are in here.. " her eyes opened to see him slip the invisibility cloak back far enough to be seen . Green eyes met brown, silently, a volume of feeling and content passed between the two. "I have so much to tell you" She lay quietly eyes wide open waiting to hear.. "Dumbledore has been controlling my life for the past fifteen years, and as far as I can see he is directly responsible for Tom Riddle going dark and becoming Voldemort" she gasped , considering the possibilities.. "the prophecy in the Department of mysteries was broken, but the original was given to the old man, it says that I am the only one who can kill him, and that's why that blue eyed bastard has been keeping me in the dark all this time, I am his weapon to be sent out to die, taking voldie with me." Hermione started crying, her fist in her mouth to keep from crying out loud.. "This is where we, you and I are going to change things a bit." He reached into his collar and pulled out the time turner. "Recognize this?" he showed her with a raised eyebrow. "How did you get that?, the headmaster keeps it locked up in his office"

"Well lets just say he has a bit of a mess to clean up now, he may not notice it missing, dumbass left it sitting out in plain view.." Hermione was torn between being offended that Harry was insulting an authority figure, and figuring out some insults of her own.. "I have come to a realization about magic I want to share with you, it seems, that if you let yourself believe enough, anything is possible, and you can do just..."

Footsteps sounded in the direction of Mme Pomfrey's office, Harry sprung straight up, as if he was a cat being awoken with a surprise. The real surprise was for Hermione, that he kept going, all the way up to the ceiling of the hospital ward and stuck there, lying on his back, on the ceiling, as if he was lying in the grass looking at the sky. Her eyes widened with shock, as Harry pulled the cloak around his body, completely obscuring it, except for his face which watched as Mme Pomfrey came in to check on Hermione. He put his finger to his lips and she settled herself back, with eyes half closed, keeping one on him, and acting sleepy. Mme Pomfrey came into the curtained area, and ran her wand up and down the various injuries on Hermione's body. "pull down your gown please, Miss Granger" Hermione hesitated a moment, looking up to see Harry cover his eyes with his hands. Satisfied he wasn't peeking, she pulled the arms off and lay the gown down in her lap. Leaving her upper body exposed. The mediwitch did a specialized cleaning charm on the scar, removing the sticky wound dressing, "toss the gown over there, we'll get you a fresh one" The girl complied, pulling it out from her lap, and tossing it toward the hamper that Dilly pushed up to the end of the bed. She pulled the sheet up far enough to cover her pubis, and lay back quietly , while keeping an eye on Harry. Pomfrey ran her diagnostic spells up and down, getting a mostly pink glow , and just a bit of orange near the sternum, directly between her breasts. "Just a little bit more and you will be back in form Ms Granger, then it will be a matter of time for the scarring to heal." Dilly brought over a fresh gown and helped Hermione put it on,

"How long will it take for the scar to fade?, Summer is almost here and I would like to wear a swimsuit at the beach." "thank you for the gown, Dilly" she thanked the house elf, in order to let Harry know he could look. "It should fade in about two weeks time if you follow my directions" Hermione nodded in assent. "You must spend about an hour a day morning and evening, lay back and clear your mind, and visualize your magic flowing out of your core, through and around the scar tissue, restoring your body to it's optimal form, does that make sense?

The younger witch nodded, "sort of like wandless magic that doesn't leave my body.. " "Yes, exactly, another way is if you had a magical relative or spouse, they could lay their hands on you and channel some of their magic towards healing you." Hermione's eyes opened wide in surprise, flickering up to the ceiling and back. "Ooh, well, that would be interesting to try now wouldn't it..I assume that's why some Healers have 'the healing touch'? Mme Pomfrey nodded, while gathering her potions and notes, "its a rare gift, although some people do have it, My brother Marcus can do it for a short while, but it can exhaust a person magically if they try to overuse the gift." "Get some sleep, and we will check you out in the morning, if you are all pink, you will be released" "Thank you Mme Pomfrey". The Mediwitch nodded and went back to her office, Dilly the ward elf pushed away the laundry hamper, and the young witch was left alone. Hermione's pondering was interrupted by an invisibility cloak thumping down on the bed near her feet. She looked up and saw Harry fall slowly off the ceiling toward her. He rolled over in the air and landed gently next to her right side, Crookshanks watched this with disinterest, as if he saw it everyday. He tucked in his front paws and closed his eyes, dismissing the scene.

"Can I give you some of my magic to help you heal faster? The brown eyed girl hesitated a moment, and made a decision. She pulled up the sheet till her pubic area was covered, and then pulled up the gown to just under her breasts, exposing the scar, a pasty white against an otherwise pale belly. Harry gently reached out to about the middle of what was visible and touched her belly. The warmth tingled them both' "here goes" Harry reached down into his core where the golden fire resided, he visualized it flowing out his hand and fingers, and melting into the girl's skin. A golden glow splayed out from under his hand, and across her skin, shadows flickered across the ceiling, the light became white, almost blue, the color of a plasma arc, as he ran his hand toward her hip. The skin that came out from under his hand was a pristine as if it were the day she was born, no signs of any scars, burns,freckles of moles. When his hand reached the bottom end of the scar, Hermione forcefully held it, not moving, not allowing his hand to move, as if she were having a seizure, the muscles of her abdomen clenching against themselves, her mouth falling open and her eyes rolling back into her head, she passed out and went limp. Harry almost panicked, almost, but her eyes fluttered open as she lay back with a dreamy look on her face. "Mr Potter, ... " in her best McGonagal voice.."You can do that to me anytime, anytime at all"..

she lay there panting slightly..

"I didn't hurt you did I, I would never want to hurt you Hermione, you mean too much to me" She took the bottom part of the gown and used it like a fan, cooling herself off..

Looking down, saw no sign of a scar of any kind. "No Harry, you didn't hurt me, just the opposite, you gave me an immense amount of pleasure, more than I have felt in all my life, actually.. and look, no sign of any scarring, you fixed me" She took her wand from the nightstand and did the diagnostic charm.. her belly was perfectly pink, and above the point where Harry started it was still orangey pink. He sat there, unable to speak, not knowing what to say, so he said nothing, trying out the new think first speak or act later scenario. "Right then, do you feel up to trying the rest?" she indicated the scar up her middle to the shoulder. Silently he nodded, She pulled up the gown and took it off, tossing it on the foot of the bed, she lay back with her arms crossed demurely across her chest. "I'm ready Doctor Potter" she uncrossed her arms and lay them at her sides, fully exposing herself to him. Harry put his hand at the point he started before and locked his eyes with hers, not wanting to be distracted by her perfectly formed shapes. He pushed his magic out of himself, again the light flickering out between the fingers, making shadowplay on the ceiling, His hand drove the scarred highway in the valley between her breasts up the foothills of her chest to the mountain ridge of her shoulder. "how does that feel, Miss Granger?" in his best TV doctor voice, or maybe it was his Dudley Doright voice... she flexed and twisted, a smile creeping across her face, "Ah do declare, Ah think you all have cured me of this dastardly curse, how evah shall I thank you kind sah? Harry posed in a very manly manner while Hermione waved the sheet in her face, fluttering her eyelashes at him. Harry grinned a toothy grin and flexed his manly muscles.."No thanks are necessary dear Nell, Just doing my duty!".."oooooh, I swoon!" the young lady fell back onto her pillow with a sigh.. her familiar opened his eyes with a look of "are you done yet, I'm sleeping here.." Harry's stomach growled, he looked shocked as if something had snuck up on him.. "maybe you can get Dobby to bring us something to eat?" He nodded and went to the other end of the ward to quietly call Dobby

"Dilly" Hermione whispered, as she gathered up her nightgown to put it on. The ward elf popped up,  
Yes miss Granger?" "I ..uh kind of made the bed wet, can you get me some new sheets? Please?" Dilly nodded and immediately set about stripping the bed of its sheets, flipping and cleaning the mattress and remaking the whole thing with new fresh linens. The brown-haired witch was just getting into bed when Harry and Dobby came through the curtain with a small dinner, some juice and tea. Harry stopped abruptly, almost turning and leaving, Hermione stopped him, "don't go, eat with me , please?" he nodded and said nothing, the new method of thinking again.. Hermione realized what had happened, he had walked in as she was bending over to pull the sheet back, and her bottom had fallen out of the hospital gown, accentuating her very pleasantly formed bum. "it's all right if you look at my bum Harry, I'll be glad to let you see it all you want after all you have done for me" She blushed as she spoke. "let me finish, you have always believed in me, you have never put down my ideas as foolish, even S.P.E.W. , you never try to take advantage of me to have you do your work for you, not like some people we know" they both grinned at the thought of Ron.. "You were my friend when no one else would want to be" she took his hand and held it tightly. "I know you think my being here in the ward is your fault, but it is not. I chose to go to the Department of Mysteries with you, I chose to fight by your side, and I CHOOSE to stay at your side as long as you will have me.." she looked carefully into his eyes, looking for a sign that he would accept her. He closed his eyes and concentrated, holding both hands over her right hand. She felt a stirring of magic around her hand, a glow, blue this time around their fingers, he let go with his left, holding her s in his right, got down off the chair to his knee,

"Hermione Jane Granger, will you accept this promise ring as my oath and intent to ask for your hand and heart when we graduate?" Her eyes widened in recognition of the ring that had appeared on her first finger, a 5mm ring of mithril with a perfectly triangular emerald green stone set in the mount. Her jaw dropped, speechless, as she flung her arms around his neck. "yesyesyesyessyess!" He put his arms around her, holding his head to her chest, her fingers entangled in his hair. "You know" his voice was muffled, because he was speaking directly to her breasts, "this is a wonderful place to be, but I must speak to your face, please" She blushed and pulled back a bit to let him breathe, and see his eyes. "he took her hands in his and spoke. "I found out exactly how much I need you and want you and care about you when you were hit in the Department of Mysteries, it was as if I were the one hit, I couldn't bear the thought of you being hurt, all because I was stupid." she started to protest, but he stopped her. "No, objectively speaking, I was stupid, I didn't check my sources, I forgot that I had a direct link to Sirius with the communication mirrors, I jumped without thinking it through." he sighed" "That said, I was immediately dumped on by Dumbassdore when he told me the prophecy that Moldieshorts was trying to get." Her eyes widened, remembering what he had told her earlier.. it felt like days but it hadn't been more than 2 hours tops.

"I have been suppressing my inner Slytherin for the last five years, playing the good Gryffie, and being Dumbles' pawn in his big chess game." he smirked at her and asked, how do you feel about dating a Slytherin?

She did something completely uncharacteristic of the proper Hermione Granger.. she giggled.

She bit her lip to silence herself, he held back until he could set up a silencing charm, then laughed out loud.. all the way from deep in the belly laugh.. till the tears rolled down the cheeks of both teens, both snorting and laughing until snot dripped out all over, tears rolled down their faces, until they were breathless. They lay side by side, holding hands, as their dinner got cold. Finally, Harry sat up. Composed himself, waved his hand over the soup, warming it up, made Hermione eat it, spooning it into her almost faster than she could eat, until she slapped his hand and took the spoon away from him, and she started spooning soup into him. Pretty soon it was all gone between them and on themselves

Another wave, and everything was clean, Hermione was beginning to see what Harry had been talking about, believing in your magic, she made a few hesitant moves, but nothing happened, so Harry described it to her the feeling of reaching out with a summoning spell, as with the time he summoned his Firebolt from almost a kilometer away. He reached over to her bookbag and took out Hogwarts, a History and threw it with all his might toward the far wall of the ward.. where it floated to a stop and levitated about a foot from the far wall. "ok , we know you can summon it with your wand, right?" she nodded "reach out your hand and think the spell 'accio book'." She reached out and willed the book toward her hand. It wobbled a bit and then smoothly floated across the room and into her hand. "it helps that I put a frictionless charm on it" Hermione clutched the book to her chest, "how did you learn all this? It's been only two days since..." "since Sirius was killed?, since I was possessed by Voldemort? Since Dumbledore let out the prophecy? Since I found out I have been a pawn in the game? Yes, pawn."

He reached into his collar and pulled out the time turner.. "remember this?" "for you and everyone else in the castle it has been two days, 48, er about 57 hours since we returned.. for me, it has been 48 times 168 or.." he calculated ..8064 hours, or about 336 days, or almost a year of continuous work, I studied for 6 days 14 hours a day, slept 6 and exercised and worked out 4, and took off 1 day out of 7 and watched a movie or read for enjoyment , I even taught myself to draw!" Hermione's jaw threatened to come loose, both surprised and jealous that she had never thought of this. She thought for a bit.."movies?" he smirked..

"yep I have seen all the Star Wars movies, I even created a spell, here". He pulled out his wand and a piece of broomstick handle, inserted his wand in a hole on one end, "lumos spados!" and a shaft of green light a meter long sprung out of the handle, he waved it about and it made the most fascinating vvvsssh vvvsssh noise.. "now I can't claim that one as my own , it was created by the wizards at Industrial Light and Magic" "who knew George Lucas had real wizards working for him?" Harry yawned deeply. "I gotta get some sleep now, I am beat.. remind me tomorrow to show you the movie coming out in 3 years.. its called The Matrix" with that he flopped down on the next bed over and immediately began to snore.. Hermione lay on her side watching him sleep, and rubbing her thumb over her new ring thinking of the future.

I will attempt to find the remaining chapters of this story and post them.

note.I used FFNET's built in editor to make page breaks, paragraph indentations, proper spacing and punctuation, as well as a final spellcheck.

if there is any error in this chapter, it's FFNET's fault.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Alternative Paths

written 2007

and originally

published on Ficwad

Harry opened his eyes and realized he was in the hospital wing, and he heard Mme Pomfrey talking to Hermione behind closed curtains, although the sound was muffled by a privacy charm, he still recognized her voice. He sat for a moment, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and stretching the stiffness out. He put on his glasses on and started to head over to the facilities before he killed someone with his morning breath, Mme Pomfrey came out of the curtained area, still speaking. "and after you get dressed you are free to go". She noticed the now awake Harry "Did you miss me so much you came in here without reason, Mr. Potter?" Harry grinned "yes Mme. Pomfrey," She regarded him for a moment, piercing him with her gaze. "Well I do enjoy your company more when you are not injured, but I daresay you were here more for Miss Granger I am sure, Don't think I didn't notice the ring" She smiled at him. "I will speak about your healing methods later?" she looked at him over her glasses, He nodded "Well, I am happy for the both of you" she nodded and went off to her office. 

The curtain around Hermione's' bed rolled itself back and showed the young witch gathering up her book bag and accessories, She turned and saw Harry standing and smiling at her. "Oh Harry, you're still here!" He nodded and held his arms open, saying nothing as she walked into his embrace. They held each other tightly and then stepped back, he held his hand over is mouth for a moment, doing a quick fresh breath charm. "Good Morning Miss Granger, Did you sleep well?" Her brown eyes flashed "Oh yes, Mr Potter, I slept very well, I had the most wonderful dream, about a green eyed man on the ceiling who came to me and rescued me" "Oh really, on the ceiling eh?" "Oh yes, I think he may just be taking the laws of gravity and basic physics as suggestions rather than facts" He took her book bag and pulled her arm around his and walked her out of the ward into the hallway, his eyes never leaving hers.

Crookshanks followed his person out the door and up the hall, content to follow along watching her back. He was surprised when they kept walking past the stairs down to the great hall and kept going. He sat at the top step and watched as his girl and her mate kept going across the foyer and over to the other side where they sat in an alcove window overlooking the grounds, and cuddled together, talking, their legs intertwined his arms holding her close. Dobby popped in behind Crookshanks and

spied the couple on the ledge, which just happened to be five stories up in the tower where the staircases were . "They look happy together, Dobby is glad." The kneazle flicked his ears in agreement and settled down to wait, as Dobby crouched next to him.

"What are we going to do about Sirius? Hermione worried about the question as Harry held her to his chest. They were sitting at their tree near the lake watching the ripples on the water. "Well I have been thinking about it, and we can't go back in time, although we have almost 80 hours left since Sirius was killed." " We can't have two of you and me running around , because if we stop us from going to the Ministry, we won't be the same people and I will never get the time turner and .. well you see the problem, no?" She nodded, her mind going furiously. "What we need to do is send a message back in time somehow, and send ourselves a message in a bottle.."

Harry picked up a rock. And held it in the air in front of Hermione's face. "How about this... lets say this rock is the time turner" he let it go and it floated in the air about a meter in front of her at eye level. He waved his hand and a piece of parchment appeared .. "we write out a message on it giving ourselves instructions, and attach it to the time turner" the parchment folded itself into a paper airplane like the memos at the Ministry, and the rock stuck to it "and we send it to us in the past." the plane flew off into the distance and out of sight "Harry that's brilliant" Hermione pulled his arms tighter around herself. "We have to be very careful about what we put in the letter, we cannot create any paradoxes and ...what" ...

He grinned at her, "Don't ever change Hermione"

She twisted around and faced him. "Harry... where did you send that memo plane with the rock?" He smirked. "Right about now it is delivering its payload.. watch" He drew a rune in the air and a scene appeared, the POV was trailing along behind the paper airplane by a few meters.. it was entering the Great Hall where there were people eating lunch.. no one paid it much mind as it swooped in and over the Slytherin table and dropped its payload directly in the soup in front of Malfoy, who leapt back shouting, as he tripped and fell on his ass. The plane circled and Malfoy drew out his wand and fired an Incendio spell at it, and it flashed into ash. As the picture faded Hermione saw Professor McGonnegal taking points off for using a spell in the Great Hall.

"We need to go in and get to work" she rose and started to head toward the castle.. "No Hermione, lets stay out here" he held her hand, "Are we not Wizards and Witches?" He got out his wand and created a table with two benches "Lets have a picnic..Dobby" The elf appeared. Yes Master Harry?" "We would like a picnic for four please, and when you get it made, get Winky and come out to have a picnic with us please?" Dobby nodded and popped away. Hermione was speechless, realizing he had house elves bonded to him.. "Harry!" he held up a hand "wait , my sweet woman, and all will be explained" he gazed into her eyes.. she couldn't stay mad at him, and nodded.

Dobby and Winky appeared with a pop.. "Master Harry, we are here."Harry turned to greet the elven couple, for that is what they were, a couple, even Hermione could see that, she could also see that Winky looked clean and health and looked quite happy to be there with Dobby, a major change since the last time she had seen her. She looked at her boyfriend questioningly, and he just made a 'wait' gesture.. "Welcome Dobby, Winky, I appreciate you doing this on your day off, and I thank you Winky for sharing Dobby with us." The little elf curtsied and smiled , but said nothing.  
"Shall we eat" they all sat around the table, Harry made the bench that the elves sat on rise up to let everyone sit on an even basis. They ate and talked and joked, and commented on the beautiful day, Hedwig flew in and perched in the tree at the end of the table, Harry pulled out some tasty bits and fed her, since she was part of the family also.. Hermione commented on a dish the elves were eating, asking what was it it. "Miss Hermi would probably not like it, since it has grubs in it, very tasty grubs" Dobby licked his lips, Hermione pondered a bit.. "Well it couldn't be any worse than Gakh, at least it's not moving" she took a spoon and tasted a bit..holding it for a moment and savoring it, then swallowing. "That is quite good, did you cook it? Winky nodded happily. If an elf could blush, she would have..

"We need to talk, since Hermione and I are going to do something which will affect you two greatly, you have been with me for the last year, under the time turners influence, and we intend to make a major change.."he looked at the elven couple. "We are going to send a message back in time to ourselves, and that will change a great many things, the most important of which is saving Sirius' life, I hope.." he looked toward Hermione and took her hand in his. "I propose we send two types of message, both hard copy and memory" she looked at him with a question in her eyes. "It will be easier to show you than explain it" "apparatus penseive chez trunk" an ornate wooden box appeared on the table. Harry tapped the top of the box with his wand, and it folded down and made a platform on which stood an ornately carved stone bowl.  
"This is a penseive, which belonged to my great great great..ahh ancestor.. lets just say its been in the family for about 600 years" Hermione had never seen one, but had read about them, knowing that they were quite expensive, at least the stone ones like this. "you can pick up a 'relatively' cheap one like the Ministry and lawyers use for collecting evidence, I propose we send one back with our memories of the fight at the ministry and the evidence we have now, both to convince ourselves of the truth and to give the Order and the DMLE a shot at capturing those deaters" he looked to each of the elves and Hermione, seeing no immediate questions, he continued. "I propose we each write a letter, pull out the memories, and bottle them, and make a package" "this includes you two, because if this changes things, your relationship will be set back by a year, and it is important to me that you are clear on this" the elves nodded seriously , "we understand the risk Master Harry, we are willing to take that risk."

Hermione thought long and hard about the situation.. she would be back to no relationship with Harry, at least not the one she had now. "can the memories we send back from the future be absorbed by the past us? Harry nodded "I think so, since we will not be all that different than our present selves. I am assuming so." "I wonder if we could absorb someone else's memory?" he pondered the question for a moment.. "Do you have a memory you would like to share with me? Hmmm?" she smirked and took out her wand, and pulled out a short memory and deposited it in the pensieve.. "There, this is when I received my Hogwarts letter" Harry stuck his finger in the memory and viewed it from the outside, and then pulled out, nodding, "Alright, lets give it a try" he pulled the memory out and deposited it into his own mind. Suddenly he was with a ten year old girl, reading a letter in green ink, inviting her to Hogwarts, and feeling an immense flood of curiosity about what it meant, and a flood of answers explaining all the things that had happened as a young girl, the incidences of accidental magic, suddenly the memory was ended and he was himself again .  
He sat quietly for a moment, separating out the memory and storing it away. He opened his eyes to a concerned Hermione, who slumped in relief when she saw he was all right. 

The sun was heading toward the horizon. "We should go in, and write down all our letters and evidence, and get the memories together" she started gathering up the notes she had written so far Harry tapped the penseive with his wand and it reboxed itself. "We need the solicitor's pensieve soon, so I will send Hedwig for one.." he took a bit of parchment and wrote out a note and gave it to Hedwig, who was waiting in the tree "Here you go Hedwig, please take this to the manager of the Staples store in Edinburgh, you remember where it is, you were there last week" Hedwig glared at him as if to say "What do you take me for? I can find anybody anywhere.." she flew away.

"Edinburgh?..Staples?" Harry replied as he watched Hedwig fly away to the west. "Edinburgh is a lot closer than Diagon Alley in London, and Staples is a Muggle office supply chain that has a magical division, quite handy actually." he turned to his girlfriend, who pulled him into an embrace and kiss, which momentarily surprised him, but he got into it rather quickly. "Rather Forward there aren't you Miss Granger?" he grinned at her , while holding her waist. "Maybe, I want to get this memory in place before we reboot our reality and change history, we have..." she pulled out a small pocket watch and checked it, "thirty four hours to deadline, and I want everything to be ready."  
They gathered up their belongings and sent them ahead with the 'apparatus to' charm and walked to the castle holding hands.

They spent the next several hours writing down the evidence, an account of everything that happened at the ministry, a hard copy of the prophecy, and what their plans were.  
Harry included a list of all the things he had studied for the 8000 hours he was ensconced in the room of requirement, and tips on how to overcome some of the problems he had come across in his studies.

Hermione spent as much time writing as Harry, and while writing she was making plans. When Harry went to the loo, she made a couple quick requests of Winky, who nodded and popped out, and back a few minutes later, with a bundle, which Hermione quickly put out of sight. She sent Winky out again to the library for a specific book, which the young witch consulted and wrote down a spell or two, and then sent the book back. Harry returned just as Hedwig flew in, depositing a package in the middle of the table. "How did you get in here Hedwig? Is there an outside window in the RoR?" "The owl nodded and then flew away.."Hm.. I never would have guessed that" he muttered and opened the package.. pulling out four coffee mug sized pensieves, a couple dictation quills and 3 gross of memory phials in a compartmentalized boxes.

Hermione returned from depositing her bundle and asked "Did Hedwig come back already?, that was fast" Harry nodded, "Edinburgh is only over the hill by comparison, London is 500 or so miles south of here" he unpackaged two of the small pensieves, and handed one with the instruction booklet to Hermione, "this is yours to keep," also handing her a gross of phials.  
It's best you calm yourself and meditate a while before you start extracting memories" he sat quietly and centered himself before drawing his wand and pulling out a memory and depositing it in the first phial, which he numbered and labeled, while also writing a description on a log sheet.  
He did it again, and again, and again, twenty seven more times, and then he set down his wand and quill, and folded the logsheet in with the bundled memories.

He sat quietly watching his girlfriend nee fiance' writing something, and then setting a spell over it, and the words vanished from sight. She sighed and sat back in her chair. "this saving the world stuff is tiring, isn't it?" she asked as she stretched.. "Maybe we should take a nap, and start fresh.. I think we have all the evidence down, and I have almost all the memories I am going to send back done.." Harry nodded in weariness, I have one more letter to write, to, of all people Neville's uncle Algie".. "Why him?" "Because he is Algernon Croaker, the head of the department of mysteries, the discoverer of the Cognivores, you know, the brains that got Ron," she nodded wearily. "I suppose that he would be the best qualified to use the information"

The young witch stood and took her fellow by the hand.. "You spent almost a year studying here in the RoR, right?" he nodded, wondering what she was getting at. "So, technically, you are over the age of consent, right?" she took his other hand and walked him into a darker corner of the room, and as they passed by a Japanese paper screen, they entered an area lit by candles and moonlight. there was a pool, very similar to the bath in the Prefects private bathroom,  
Hermione drew her love into a kiss, and then pulled back, looking him in the eyes, as she reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Hermione.." "Hush, we are going to change the world, and change the outcome of great events.. the us we are now will no longer exist.." she tossed his shirt aside and started on her own.. "no matter what we do, 'we' will no longer exist, we will be us, from right before our OWLS, still under attack from Voldemort, but, we will have a chance to fix so many things.." she dropped her skirt on the floor. "I want to be your love in every way possible, because I can't take the chance that I will not be your love in the future.. the other future" 

He thought about it for a few moments, and nodded.. "alright then" he took her hands in his and got down on his knees in front of her. "Hermione Jane Granger, will you be my love forever until the end of time, will you be my Lady Potter, will you be my wife?"

She sank to her knees with him and lost herself in his eyes.. "Yes" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Alternative paths

2007

updated 2013

2 June, just after lunch.

That damnable vision was coming back again, visions of Sirius being captured and tortured, Harry's head hurt from Snapes' "occlumency" lessons, his hand hurt from the scars of the blood quill.

The "boy who lived "was feeling more dead than alive.. and now he had to go to McGonnegals class and take the transfiguration practicals with no sleep. Harry started to gather his stuff to go to class, and Hermione came in to make sure Harry was coming. "Harry.." a flash and a pop and a package appeared in the air over Harry's bed and plopped down. . They stood silently for a moment, wondering whether they were about to be attacked, or what. Hermione slowly drew out her wand and drew a runic shield charm in the air, enclosing the package, in a pinkish glowing haze. Harry leaned over and looked at the package, noting the writing "it has your writing .."he pulled the duvet and rolled the package a bit "and mine on it" "What's it say" her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Yours says.. Anna Clancy, ink" Hermione gasped, "and mine says.." Harry paled "what's it say" he pulled back and covered his eyes "Myrtle : hands,bath" "whats that mean? Harry?...Harry?"

He stood and pulled out his wand and sealed the door to the dorm, silencing charms, colloportus, the works.. "its embarrassing and I really don't want to talk about it, but there is no one who knows about this, not even Snape.. lets just say that if she wants, Myrtle can physically touch someone ...if she wants".. he wouldn't meet her eyes. "I assume that Anna Clancy is something private and embarrassing also?" Hermione blushed and nodded .. "Ok lets figure this out, forget about OWLS for now.." they tested the package and found no charms or traps.. Hermione stood back as Harry opened the package. On top was a letter with glowing letters READ THIS NOW! flashing.

It was written by Hermione , obviously, and it gave a brief synopsis of the events of the next few days, and the first instruction was "Get out the Mirror and call Sirius, and then get immediately to the Room of Requirement, and seal the door against all comers, and then cast a Fidelio charm on the door so that the Inquisitorial squad will not find it, along with instructions on how to do this.

Harry read this as Hermione extracted the other letters to be sent and forwarded to Dobby and Winky, and one to be mailed to Algernon Croaker at the Department of Mysteries, and also to the DMLE to set up a trap to capture the Death eaters infiltrating the Ministry.

Harry quickly gathered up the package and the time turner, and the letters, he shrunk his trunk and stuck it in his pocket, Hermione rushed to the girl's dorm and did the same quickly as Harry called Dobby and gave the elf instruction.. "we have to escape now, go and get Winky and go to the come and go room, we will meet you there" Harry was about to rush out the door, when Dobby grabbed his cloak and stopped him.. "No you must not!, the evil professor toad is coming, I will get you there" He grabbed Harry and Hermione by the hands and popped then through a kind of space like they had never seen before, with either portkeys or apparition or Floo.. just a weird bent kind of space.. they appeared in a great white featureless space,, with indirect light coming from an unknown source.. The Gryffindors looked about and backed up toward each other, as if looking for an attack.. Dobby waved his hand and a table and chairs appeared, as well as a couch and a tea set.. Harry dropped his wand arm in relief "ok we now have time" he said, holding up the time turner, "And we have the help of Hogwarts and Dobby" indicating the room of requirement and the elf.. "lets go back and get ourselves some breathing room.. according to this" he held up the first page of the letter "we can go back 168 hours.. one week to do what we have to do.."

Harry took the chain and strung it around Hermione's neck, and his own, and Dobby held both their arms, and Harry held up the time turner, and Hermione set the thing in motion, as it revolved downwards, rotating down a machined and threaded rod, 168 turns in all, until it hit the bottom stop. The room changed around them, becoming a dueling arena, a classroom, a bedroom, a section of a forest glen, a dungeon.. ghostly shadows of people whizzed around backwards, coming and going, wraiths un-dueling, leaping and flying backwards in the DA setting, a couple doing what looked like unspeakable tortures and bondage in the dungeon.. Harry thought he almost could see who the shadows were, but he could not be sure, but the one he was absolutely sure of was the forest meadow, where he was certain that the shadow seen was Luna dancing around with faeries, and Harry was also certain that the Luna Shadow was aware of his presence

time came to a stop, paused, and restarted in a forward direction.

26 May

The Gryffindor couple flopped wearily down on the couch,exhausted from the trip, and lay back for a moment just looking toward the 'ceiling' of the room, not thinking not anything.. Harry's' eyes wandered about, looking..noticing the light was slightly brighter in one spot than anywhere else.. he concentrated on that spot, and focused his magical senses on it.. "look there" he pointed, "does that look like an owl portal to you? Hermione turned her head and focused on the spot Harry was pointing.. "..yes, I think you might be right" "Hedwig!,, can you hear me?" Harry called his familiar both vocally and mentally.. the bright spot darkened momentarily and Hedwig appeared , she flew out of the almost featureless sky and landed on Harry's knee, as if finding him there was a foregone conclusion. She nipped at his finger and made a barking like sound, since Snowy owls didn't hoot, no matter what anyone says. Harry smiled and pulled out an owl treat from his pocket, "I am surrounded by the smartest females of the age, Hedwig, the best owl ever to fly, and Hermione, the one who is my best friend.."

She slipped her hand over the couch cushion to his and took his hand and squeezed it gently.

Although she said nothing verbally, their eyes said so much to each other, and Harry felt a stirring in not only his chest, but his mind and gut, and in the core of himself where his magic resided. "..."

"?..." "Hermione?" "Yes?" "do you feel that" he waved his hand vaguely off to the left.."what?" "a..a presence,.. like there is someone ...over there.." they turned and saw a blurry outline of a woman almost a wraith, but gathering in a kind of solidity.. Hermione had a sudden flash of the hologram of Princess Leia saying "help me Obi-Wan, you're my only hope"

The figure phased into visibility, neither old nor young, just a..sense of presence..

"welcome my children,

I am here to help you do what you have to do,

and drive out the evil that wanders my halls.."

"um.. are you Hogwarts? Harry asked.. the figure nodded, "I thought I recognized you, You welcome me here every year when I arrive from the summer, you are the one who welcomes me home.."

"Yes young Gryffindor, here, you are home,

for you are of the founder's line of Godric."

"I hope I can live up to that responsibility"

"never fear young Gryffindor, you will,

but now you must focus on the task at hand"

the avatar indicated the papers and such laid out on the table.

The young couple sat up and started to sort through the letters and notes, starting with the first, "now how do we go about setting a fidelius charm to hide this room" Harry started writing a list to check off, but the Avatar interrupted.. "I have sealed this room to all except for the two of you, and of course the elves" she smiled as Dobby and Winky appeared with a platter of subs wrapped in foil, and juice and salad, and set it up on the table. Harry's stomach noticed the crisp smell of slightly seared meat and cheese, and growled for attention. The women, both physical and spectral laughed as the red faced young man got up off the couch and went to the dining table to eat.. "Ladies would you care to join me?" He pulled out chairs at the table, and tucked them in to the women.

They ate and enjoyed the food and time together, Harry wondered idly if the spectral avatar of Hogwarts actually ate, or just looked like she ate.. no matter, the company was brilliant, and it didn't seem any weirder than being invited to a death day party for a ghost..

The plans were discussed, notes were taken, and things set in motion. Harry was pleased that while hidden in the bowels of the Room of Requirement, he was totally free of outside attacks on his mind, and for once actually got some sleep..

27 May

The letter had been sent to Algernon Croaker, the Head of the Department of Mysteries alerting him to the breakdown of security there, and plans were set in place at that end to capture the invading Death eaters.. since he had been warned, Croaker noticed where locks had been subverted, and supplies were hidden, as if planning for a siege.. none of these things were touched, but there was subtle surveillance put in place on all the possible access ways and entrances, both to the Department of Mysteries and the Hall of Prophecy. The Hall of Prophecy had a grid work of surveillance charms put on it.. a cobwebbed network, undetectable unless you knew exactly what to look for.. he put his right hand man, Frank Wills in charge of security.

Frank took further measures than what was asked of him, he also put a dark detector at each and every elevator, stairwell, access shaft, air vent and opening. These dark detectors were watching for people bearing the dark mark in particular, and carrying magical items with evil magic in them.

At each and every one of these detectors he had a rune which looked very much like an eye placed, and that rune transmitted a picture back to a monitoring room, where pictures were gathered as data for later action.

In two days, the Ministry of Magic came into the twentieth century.

Croaker was worried, for the letter that had been sent to him had information that came from a future, a possible future, and he was worried about paradox. He sat at his desk deep in the heart of the Ministry, pondering the possibilities, and was about to call in one of his forensics experts to track the letter back to where it had come from, when a beautiful snowy owl swooped into his office and landed on the edge of his IN box.. This was something of a shocking development, since his office was deep in the heart of the Ministry, 9 levels down., and he couldn't remember any owls ever having come here in all his years as an unspeakable.

The owl stuck out her leg with a letter on it, and he cautiously took it, and kept an eye on the bird. "Are you going to wait for a reply? The owl looked at him and nodded. "Alright then," he transfigured a perch for her, with a water dish and a food bowl with a couple tasty looking grubs in it. She nodded her thanks and flew up to wait for his reply.

He opened he letter, there was a crystal phial attached with a sticking charm, he set it aside and read the letter first.

_ To: Mr Algernon Croaker, Department of Mysteries, London_

_ From: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, Hogwarts. 29 May, 1996_

_ Mr Croaker, we are writing you in an effort to stop the death of a good man and to capture 12 death eaters who are going to attempt to steal a prophecy concerning myself and Tom Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort. Attached you find a memory that was sent to us by our future selves, of an event that (will have) happened in six days time, on 4 June. _

_ We have viewed this memory and additional corroborating evidence, and we are doing what we _

_ can to forestall this event from happening, but our fear of creating a time paradox is hampering our efforts. _

_ Please view this memory and if you can get back to us as soon as possible, we would appreciate it. ._

_ There is another, more localized problem, we are fighting a battle here with the Ministry appointed headmistress, D. Umbridge, and we have been limited in our abilities to take direct action, with the Ministry's tacit approval, so we need to maintain secrecy in our _

_ dealings. On the positive side, I have just found out I am a founders heir, and I can take control of the school and the wards, but before I can take action, I need training._

_ The other problem is this: our future selves sent back a package from 4 June, with assorted memories and evidence. Included in this package was the time turner used to send _

_ it back: We used the time turner to give ourselves a bit of breathing room, so we could contact someone who could help. The only problem is this: We are at school, and we cannot be at school twice, causing a paradox, or maybe the destruction of the universe as we know it, so_

_ we hid ourselves in what is called "The Room of Requirement" a room that can transform itself into whatever a person needs. While here we have been contacted by what we perceive to b_e _the sentient heart of Hogwarts, and she is helping us by making the room unplottable and is not allowing access to anyone without our knowledge. _

_ to paraphrase a muggle film,_

_ Help us Mr Croaker, _

_ you are our only hope_

_ Harry James Potter_

_ Hermione Jane Granger_

he sat back and pinched the ridge of his nose, thinking that, for every question it answered , it posed about a dozen more. He sighed and pulled his chair over to the side desk where his Pensieve was. and dropped in the memory. The misty memory swirled around in the bowl, He read the label on the Phial. "events of 4 June 1996 MoM."

He peered into the bowl and stuck the end of his wand into the swirling mist.

_To: Mr Harry James Potter_

_ Miss Hermione Jane Granger_

_ Hogwarts _

_ From: Algernon Croaker_

_ Department of Mysteries_

_ Mr. Potter, Miss Granger. _

_ I commend you on the actions taken to avoid paradox, and to see justice served._

_ You will find this letter is a two way portkey, it will bring you here directly to my office, and also give you a quick escape if you feel the need to do so. The activation word this direction is _

_ 'Obi-Wan' the escape is 'Return'_

_ We need to speak at your earliest convenience, Actually, please get here as fast as you can.. _

_ You have my Wizards Oath that you will not be harmed or detained in any way._

_ A. Croaker_

He folded the letter and put a string around it, Would you please deliver this back to your person? Hedwig hopped down on his desk and took the parchment in her claw before he could tie it, she leapt in the air and with a powerful flap which scattered the loose papers on his desk.

She accelerated straight toward a solid wall, and vanished.

Croaker had been an Unspeakable for a great many years, and seen a lot of things, but this was just plain surprising. He looked at the clock and wondered how long it would take for them to appear. He sat at his desk writing out questions and notes he wanted to discuss, and was completely shocked when seven minutes and forty five seconds later the two students appeared in his office.

Shock upon shock, Algie Croaker was absolutely dumbfounded.

There in front of him were two students dressed in the costume of Luke

` Skywalker and Leia Organia, grinning like maniacs. He opened his mouth to speak, and nothing came out. A hand appeared on the front edge of his desk, and a greenish creature stood up and wobbled dizzily "Dobby not like portkeys, Dobby don't." and fell over with a thud.

The two students cracked up laughing and crying, and falling all over each other..


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Alternative Paths

2007

edited 2013

All the characters herein described are owned by their owners, not me.  
This includes JK Rowling, George Lucas, The Wachowsky brothers. and the folks from Tomb Raider.

thirty seconds later...

"In all my years as an Unspeakable, I have never seen the like... "the old man paused, and turned to pick up his  
notes. "I knew your parents Mr. Potter, wonderful people,... your mother worked for me.." he turned and sat heavily in his chair. "She worked for me on a part time basis, doing spell research, ..."Harry leaned forward, hungrily wanting to know more, know anything about his parents. Croaker noticed this and smiled.. "I will give you copies of any memories I have of her for you to look at later". "it is actually quite appropriate, because I know that she left some of her memories here on file as part of her research." Harry practically jumped out of his seat, and almost danced in front of the desk in excitement. "I have to have those, or copies something, I NEED those .. please?"

"Yes Mr. Potter, you shall have them.. at this point it makes no sense to keep something like that classified, least of all from you, and Miss Granger" he paused as Harry calmed down a bit "After all you two are coming to work for me..."  
"What?!" both teens were dumbfounded.. "why? how?" Harry snagged the sleeve of his Luke Skywalker outfit on the arm of the chair. without even noticing, he waved his hand as if erasing a blackboard, and both of their outfits reverted to school work robes. Croaker noted this, and also the fact that both teens had what looked like Luke's Light saber tucked into their belts.  
"Of course you will, you are after all probably the most experienced people and with the use of time manipulation devices, using the time turner that Dumbledore had as a tool for justice, figuring out how to do these things without creating a paradox, or as you say destroying the universe as we know it".. "You have seemingly manipulated time well enough to get yourself some extra training, based on your actions so far," he gestured toward the shiny weapons in their belts, "You seem to have created some new uses for other's magic, I believe" "would you care to demonstrate?"

The young wizard looked to his girlfriend and the conversation was silent and instantaneous. "Yes sir" the young couple stepped out into the open area of the office, "The initial idea was based on the weapons used in the Star Wars films, the original spells were created by Industrial Light and Magic, as a prop for Mr Lucas, we just continued the idea a bit" with that, Harry flicked the weapon on, and it acted just like in the movies. Hermione conjured a pile of objects, wood, steel, a rock. She levitated them and they floated around attacking and dodging around Harry. She then set about shooting spells at him, and he deflected them all, even when being fired upon at high speed. Hermione gestured to Croaker, indicating that he should join in firing spells. The old man joined in and tried to sneak in spells that were subtle, and was somehow not surprised that along with the straightforward physical attacks, Harry was also deflecting gas with a shield,apparently cast wandlessly.

Hermione quit firing spells, what was left of the orbiting objects fell to the floor in little bits. Harry snapped off his sword with a "snikt' sound. He held it out to the elder man. who looked it over, seeing the subtle and mysterious runes inscribed on it, He lifted his glasses and peered closely at the writing on a ring around the base. "Copyright 1977 ILM inc."You even put the copyright notices on it?" "Sure, we based it on a toy bought in a fantasy shop in Edinburgh, where they sell fantasy swords and costumes, and the like." Croaker nodded. he held it out and pushed the button, nothing happened. He pushed it again, again nothing..He looked up with a question in his eye. "Its keyed to me and Hermione only, but if you want, we can make you one too., What color would you like? He took the item back, and flicked it on, and cycled it through several colors, red,orange,yellow,green,blue,violet. "If you want, we can also do one in pink, but we thought that was just a bit...poofty"

Harry started to turn around and noticed that the office was trashed, smoking bits of furniture and debris from direct attack and reflected spells.."umm ..sorry about the mess.." he took out his wand and held it straight up."a priori" a pulse of light, and the office was returned to its former arrangement. 

"We have no intention of giving or selling this technology to anyone, because it will be useful to us in the battle against Tom and his followers, and we need every tool we can get" Hermione continued "We have developed some ideas, with the help of Harry's business partners, Fred and George Weasley." she opened her robe and indicated a seemingly ordinary belt slung around her jeans. "In the muggle world you can get by with simple misdirection, depending on what you wear." she pushed a bead on the belt and suddenly she was wearing a skintight top and shorts and armed with a matching pair of Desert Eagles and some cool round sunglasses, her hair tightly braided down her back "Say, your partner needs to do something in a public place and not be noticed", she indicated 'Harry , who had turned into the most anonymous, Grey man, with no distinguishable features whatsoever. "I make an entrance, and strut down the middle of the street, drawing every eye to me" she demonstrated her strut "While Harry blends into the background and makes off with the desired goods." she pointed to Harry who was sitting in Croakers Chair with his feet up on the desk. The old man shook his head, he had not realized that he had gotten up to follow the young woman across the room.

Harry and Hermione reverted their costumes and sat again. "in spite of these tricks and gadgets, we still need your help." "we assume that you got our first letter, which actually was sent by future us, in the original time line, lets call them OTL." "We here are the 'New Time line' or NTL. You should have had time to put some security in place, because Voldemort wants that prophecy. "The prophecy was one of the only two that Sybil Trelawney ever gave". "A spy, who shall remain Snape heard the first half of the prophecy, but was caught." "As soon as he could get away, he scurried off to his real master and delivered my parents into Tom's hands, My parents, and Neville's, as a matter of fact." Croaker frowned. "we'll get back to that, the fact appears, the Ministry and possibly the Department of Mysteries has spies or sympathizers in here, because the Death Eaters couldn't get in without help."

Harry sighed. "here's the way I see it. Dumbledore and Snape are directly responsible for the death , no murder of my parents, and for the attack and it's outcome on the Longbottoms." "on those two events alone, the both of them deserve life in Azkaban." Hermione nodded in agreement. "Thursday night, there will probably be an infiltration of the DOM". "Snape has been giving me 'occlumency' lessons at Dumbledore's command.", where the actual truth is he has been opening up my mind to assault from Voldemort". he indicated his scar. "Since we have escaped into the Room of Requirement, I have had the mental assaults blocked, so I have been able to actually think". "My Godfather Sirius Black is innocent of the charges set against him, and he spent twelve years in Azkaban, in the company of dementors." "This I also lay directly at the feet of Dumbledore", who is keeping Sirius prisoner in his own house.."

"The vision sent to me in my dreams is Sirius being tortured here in the Hall of Prophecy, and that's why the me in the OTL 'came to the rescue'." "I had no way to check for the truth I didn't remember the communications mirror I had in my trunk, in short in the OTL I got Sirius killed, when he came to rescue me and my friends." "another death I lay at the feet of Snape, Dumbledore, Tom Riddle." In the OTL it was Bella who stunned him as he fell into the Veil, but she is only partly to blame. "

"I want to stop this from happening, I don't believe that this action will cause a paradox, just an alternate path, a parallel time line as it were. I owe it to the people of the OTL, to at least try." "I need to be trained properly in occlumency, both to keep people out, but to be able to shield my secrets."

Harry sighed.. "Also...In the mundane world, dangerous objects like The Veil are guarded and protected.. wouldn't putting a gate or fence in front of the Veil be a good idea?" 

* * *

"Mr Croaker, we have opened ourselves up to you, given you information that would probably send US through the veil, we are trusting you." "Part of that is because you have the reputation as an honest man, and you don't back down from Fudge or anyone." The other reason, is that your nephew, Neville is a good friend of ours and he said you would be honest with us."

Algernon Croaker had been an Unspeakable for a great many years, He still missed his mentor and friend Bode, and thought about what Bode would say: 

Audaces fortuna juvat: Fortune favors the bold 

"Mr Potter, Miss Granger, I will do everything in my power to help you, because if I help you, I am helping all of us."  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and sighed in relief. "Good, because I would hate to think of the alternative" "What was the alternative? 

Harry looked at him and said with an utter calm "If you didn't help us I would have had to kill you, Fudge, and taken over the Ministry tonight, and install Amelia Bones as minister.." Croaker was shocked, this kind of statement out of a not quite sixteen year old boy..but the evidence was there, he was deadly serious,he glanced at the young witch, she nodded slightly. 

"How would you do that?" he kept his hands still and in plain sight.  
"feel around your neck...feel that? What you have there is a band of Mithril. Impervious to magic, it can be formed or machined, but the tooling is damned hard to find and expensive to boot. It is ties to a runeset, here" he indicated a similar neck piece. "If I die, or Hermione dies, that ring constricts to a zero point, in short you will lose your head." "Don't mess with it, it cannot be removed by magical or physical means, only by me, when I chose to do so."

"How?"  
"you were watching Lara Croft strut across your office, and I slipped it on with a mild confundus charm."Harry manipulated the runes on his neck ring, the ring unzipped itself and fell off, Harry accio'd it and slipped it in his pocket.

Now, Lets go to the Hall of Prophecy and gather up whatever prophecies, yes, multiple, that concern us. Harry and Hermione stood and touched their belts, their costumes converting to for Harry , a black leather trenchcoat over black pants and shirt, for Hermione, a skintight black leather jumpsuit, glossy and almost painted on, they were both wearing Haro sunglasses. Her hair was straight and black. They both looked deadly.

"Its from a film to be released in about 2 years, you'll love it." 

The group of three, went from Algie Croakers' office and no one notices that as the two younger people walked, spiders dropped off the hem of their coats. A steady stream of spiders, which scurried into the cracks and hidden spots around them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Alternative Path 2007 edit 2013

a rare AN. This story was written in 2007. there were problems with it, but it stood fairly well on it's own. One of the biggest problems people have commented on is that Harry knows too much. The point at which he comes to Hermione in the infirmary , he has had 8000 hours to do with as he wishes. He wished to have useful training in the RoR. Now, don't you think that the RoR, the magical artifact that it is, would provide lessons that are pretty tailored to Harry's needs? 8000 hours is a long time, an average work year is 2050 hours, 8 hrs a day 5 days a week, so don't you think that Harry might be motivated to be better, in order to help his godfather, his girl and himself, the rest of the world notwithstanding? He had Winky and Dobby as well, and hedwig. 8000 hours of no headaches from the sending of Tom riddle, time to heal and exercise and have fun and still learn. Yes Harry knows quite a bit, he has learned to control magic, to optimize everything he is doing. Magic is, pretty much 'do what you want by intent and energy manipulation'.. that said, the other major criticism I have received is Neo and Trinity. Yes the movie didn't come out until 1999. so, where did the Wachkowsky siblings (then brothers) come up with the idea. They were in England and saw a couple dressed in leather and latex, and wrote a story about them...so there.

FYI Frank Wills is based on the security guard who found evidence of a break-in at The Watergate ..setting off a big upset in American Politics..

FYI-2 I am adding break lines in this as FFNET once again de-formatted the entire thing. now I am using brute force and hammers to make it work.

* * *

On with the story. Chapter 5

* * *

The trio of an Unspeakable, Neo and Trinity strode down the halls of the ministry, even on the 9th level where the Department of mysteries was located, this was an unusual occurrence. The few people who had authorization to even be in the area were shocked to see two leather clad strangers leading the way for their respected and very much feared boss. Those few in the halls, tried to melt into the walls when the trio went by, and were totally ignored for their trouble. They approached the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy, and Croaker started too explain the security steps that needed to be in place to open the door, when the door didn't open, it just vanished without so mush as a by your leave.

* * *

Neo strode into the hall and went up the rows of shelves to the correct row, treaded down to the appropriate shelf, and picked up the glass ball, and replaced it with another, shoving the real one in his pocket. "What's that?.. Croaker started to say, but Neo silenced him with a gesture. He tilted his head left, capturing Trinitys' eyes, indicating the direction for her to go. She nodded once and slipped out of the row, and vanished into the wall like a wraith, Neo went the other direction, indicating that the old man should stay back. Neo/Harry took a blank memory ball out of his pocket, and tossed it about ten meters to the left. It shattered with a tinkling of glass. "FREEZE!" he bellowed at the hooded figure who was looking toward the sound of the glass.

* * *

The figure spun and started to throw a curse toward the two men, but no sound came out but .."URK", and stiffening fell to the floor with a thud. A large man came running into the hall, wand drawn, ready for trouble, and didn't take two steps before he too, was unconscious on the floor. Footsteps were heard in the hall outside, at least three sets, running. Neo looked up and with a wave, the doors were back, and secure., and solid as they ever were.

* * *

"Who's this?" Trinity faded into view, "Please wake him up, this is Frank Wills, my head of security, well at least he has been for the last few days, since your first letter arrived" Trinity pulled out a wand and ran it over the supine Security specialist. "there are no apparent charms or compelling magic on him, .." she wiggled the tip of her wand as if prodding something, a brass ring fell out on the floor with a metallic clonk. "an internal portkey, and a wand" Neo touched the stunned man's forehead, and stood up "awaken" The Security man's eyes snapped open and darted around, looking for an enemy.

* * *

"Just over a minute from the break in, until your arrival, very good response time, though you may want to put a little more stealth into your entrance" Neo put out a hand to the shocked man on the floor and helped him to his feet. "Here, this is yours" he handed over a wand and a brass ring. "Algie here says you are the head of Security Mr Wills, do you perchance have an interrogation room we could use?" indicating the still unconscious cloaked figure. Wills looked toward his boss, who nodded. "yes, we can take him there now" pulling out his brass ring. Neo looked at Croaker "You three go on ahead, we'll meet you there." Croaker and Willis took the prisoner and forced his hand on the portkey and they vanished.

* * *

Neo nodded and Trinity pulled out a package from a seemingly bottomless bag. She activated a runeset, and the crinkly bag expanded into a glistening ball like a soap bubble. The bubble popped and a hundreds spiders popped out and scurried away. Neo held a control pad, a list scrolled down the screen as each spider activated and logged in, and after they all scurried into hiding places, settled down into standby mode. Neo folded the pad away and stuffed it into a pocket, Took Trinity's hand , and the room was silent and empty once more. Occasionally, a spider blinked. Frank Wills put the prisoner in a chair which was bolted down to the floor. Chains wrapped around his arms and legs and held him in place.. he couldn't slump over even if he wanted to.

* * *

"Ok Algie, you gave me this job to secure against attacks from unknown forces, who got in god knows how." "Who are these people and how did they get in here, are you under their thrall or something? How did they get in here and do what they can do.. ?" A portal opened in a wall which had no door, and two Smiths walked through, both dressed in black suit and tie, white shirts and a twisty wire plugged into their ears. "Mr Wills, We are glad to meet you, my name is Mr Smith, although you can call me Hugo" Wills cautiously shook Mr Smith's hand.. "And this is Miss Jones" She nodded. Mr Smith took out his wand and held it out, pointed straight up "On my magic, we are not trying to subvert Unspeakable Croaker in any way, or cause harm to him" there was a brief flare of magic that confirmed the oath. Wills relaxed a bit.. just a little. "Tell me what is going on, who are you, how can you do this ,..this stuff you are doing?" the man spluttered in frustration. Croaker laughed and shook his head.. "Frank, just accept it, every question these two have answered for me has posed about a dozen more, and I am afraid our relationship with them is going to get even more confusing.." Frank Wills looked at his boss, the shock evident on his face. "relationship?" "yes, I have recruited these two, and I believe that it will be a long and fruitful partnership." he continued, "Don't try to find out who they are, unless they tell you themselves, for the moment secrecy is prudent".

* * *

"To answer your questions, Mr. Wills, we are products of interference from the future.. and manipulation of time to our advantage." Mr Smith looked at Miss Jones, their faces impassive behind their shades. "Miss Jones and I were subject to an attack which led to the death of a good man, and to forestall this from happening, we sent a message back to ourselves as warning" he paused "using a time turner that was captured from an event happening five days from now" "this situation is the root of all the activity on your part, securing the Department of Mysteries against the coming infiltration and attack by death eaters, and possibly Voldemort himself." "as to how we do what we do?, simply put, we had opportunity and time literally in our hands, since the information came into our possession two days ago, we have had 48 weeks of training and practice time to get things into place." "Miss Jones there is very creative in reworking existing spells to our advantage, a good demonstration, is our prisoner here." "In a memory of a battle we will show you later, the problem the good guys were having is that when the bad guys were stunned, they were easily enervated by their cohorts." "This spell used to stun the prisoner, cannot be lifted except by the one who cast it, or me,since I am the only one authorized to lift the spell."

* * *

They gathered around the trapped prisoner, "awaken" the prisoner opened his eyes, "Who are you! Let me go!, The Dark.." "stubefy" "see? Quick and effective, try to enervate him" Wills used his wand. "enervate" nothing, he tried again, pushing as much magic into it as he could "Innervate!" nothing.. "awaken" nothing at all.. "ok, what's next?" "Well, if we were in a situation where individually rights were respected, and rule of law, I suppose we could call a solicitor for this fellow, and give him a chance to defend himself, but seeing as he is a marked death eater, I think I'll just bypass that." Croaker nodded in agreement. "I think Mr Smith is correct, these people have chosen their side, and we must see them as enemy combatants, and treat then as such"

* * *

Wills mind reeled as he considered what his boss was saying.. that what they were considering was effectively declaring war. "If you join us, we will share our ideas with you, and ask that you share your ideas and help with us." "Believe it or not, we came here to ask for help, and he agreed to do so." "You are a professional in the security business, and we have a lot of ideas that may be helpful to you, but you have knowledge we need." Wills looked at them in disbelief, these two had done things no one he had ever heard of doing. Mr Smith reached down to touch something on his belt. "Let me introduce myself, my name is.." his disguise dropped "Harry Potter, and this is Hermione Granger" To say the least, Frank Wills was dumbfounded.. he had expected someone older and more experienced, not the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.. now they, yes they, because it was obvious to anyone, there was no Harry Potter without Hermione Granger.. they fit together like...like..something that was and is inevitable. A foregone conclusion. Thunder with lightning, rain with wet. hand and glove..

* * *

He sighed and went to his desk to get parchment and a dictation quill. "Well then, we need to get on with interrogating sleeping beauty there" He set up the parchment and quill, and started the procedure. He cast the appropriate spells, and tied each of them into the dictation so they were identified on the parchment as questioners. They were identified as #1, #2 #3 #4 no names. Just identifiers. Transcription: 29 June 1996 present were Frank Wills, Head of Security Algernon Croaker Department of Mysteries Agent 1 [hidden]need to know only Agent 2 [hidden]need to know only prisoner administered Veretaserium

what is your name?

Chris Johnston

You are a death eater

yes

When were you marked?

June last year, when the Dark Lord returned.

How many people have you killed

don't remember, they're just muggles so who cares

you believe the pureblood ideology

yes you know Voldemort is a halfblood

thats a lie

no , its true, told me himself

(grunt)

what is your mission at the DOM

to verify a certain prophecy was still there

what else

to check the access

what access

the secret passageway in.

where is that

out back, by the phone booth

how do you access it

you have to tap on a certain window

which window third one from the end of the building

is there any marks or signs to identify it

yes

what is it

a heart on the window

where do you live

Wokingham off the A329

you live muggle

yes

why

its anonymous

do you have a job

yes

where do you work

off testin alley

in testin alley

thats what I said

who do you work for

LXM potions

what do you do

I work in a potions lab

who runs the lab

Snape

Severus Snape

yes

who do you know to be a marked death eater

Me and Vinnie, he's my flatmate, Justin across the hall, Eric Darsey and Peter Collins from the pub, everyone from where I work, some guys I don't know by name and his boy Draco,

you are certain Draco Malfoy is a marked death eater?

Yes, I was there when he was marked

you said flatmate , who is your flatmate

Justin Carrows. He didn't really want to take the mark, but his family would kill him if he hadn't, Actually he would rather be Justine, but they would kill him even worse if they found out there

are more Deez at the same building you live in

yes we get a break for renting it,

have you ever bribed anyone in the ministry

yes

who

Weatherly? No, Weasley

which one, the older or the younger the younger one,

the Minister's assistant

why did you bribe him

because we needed to get to his brother

which brother

the youngest one

Ronald

yes the youngest one, we had to convince him convince him to do what get some of Potters hair

who wants Potters hair

Malfoy

which Malfoy

the younger one

why does Malfoy need Potters hair.

He's going to set up Potter, kill his girlfriend and put him in Azkaban

whose idea was this

Umbridge

is Umbridge a DE or a sympathizer

I don't know if she has the mark but I have seen her at a Revel

whats a revel

we capture some muggles and have fun with them, pass them around, and then the new ones are blooded.

Blooded

their first kill

what did you say to Ronald

told him that he would be the hero, not the sidekick that he would be respected.,that he could have the girl.

Know what he said?

Silence

said he'd **** her then rent her out as a whore.

"stubefy"

session ends, prisoner unconscious Agent 2 kicks prisoner in ribs, is led away by Agent 1 recording ends

the plot thickens.. or is it curdles? Hmmm.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Alternative Paths

2007

edit 2013

An assortment of Weasleys

* * *

WHACK! "turn him into a slug"WHACK "tell the" WHUMP ""I'll show him" Hermione kicked and punched a dummy transfigured to look like Ron. Vzsoooom she pulled out her lightsaber and swung it across the body and cut it in half. She stood, panting and limp,, tears running down her face at the seeming betrayal of their friend. Harry came up behind her and gently disarmed her, turning off her still glowing weapon with a snap. She turned into him, sobbing into his shoulder, her voice muffled "How could he say something like that after all we have been through?" "I thought we were friends"

* * *

"Love, don't take it to heart, remember, this is the word of a death eater, Remember the mistake made by future me that would get Sirius killed?" she sniffed and nodded, "Check our sources, and get confirmation.. I think we should get Percy and interrogate him, and find out what happened". "Now lets find Mr Croaker and ask if we can bring in Percy, I think he will cooperate" The young woman nodded and took a deep breath. "Lets get you cleaned up and I will talk to Mr Croaker and Mr Wills, OK?" She went into a restroom off to the side and put herself together, while Harry stepped outside the door of the training room they had borrowed, and spoke with the others.

* * *

"Can we bring in Percy Weasley for questioning? "I know he is assistant to the Minister, but that doesn't mean he is untouchable, does it?" Croaker shook his head, "Not even the Minister himself can override us. He nodded to Frank Wills, who agreed, "Lets bring him in, not too publicly, ok? Wills pulled on his Unspeakable cloak, which was gray and anonymous, and the hood which completely obscured his face,

* * *

"We'll have them in about twenty minutes I am sure, How is Miss Granger doing" Harry opened the door and they walked into the training room, and gestured silently to the carnage, an assortment of transfigured dummies, all shredded and burned and hexed to bits. Harry vanished the lot and set the room to rights as Hermione silently joined him. Their eyes met and agreement was made "Mr Croaker is having Percy brought in for questioning, and we will get to the bottom of this." It was not a question, but a statement of fact. "We have to set standards to meet, agree to a set of rules of engagement, even if the Death Eaters don't , we should set standards, so that in the future our decisions will not be overturned because of infringement of civil rights,. for that is the form we want the government to take, equal rights for all , proper representation, legal trials, not lynchings"

* * *

Wills knocked and poked his head in the door, "He's in room 3, he came voluntarily" "Thank you Frank, we'll be right there" The couple put on their Agent Smith and Jones disguises, and entered the interrogation room behind the head Unspeakable, who at this time had his hood up, obscuring his identity. Percy kept a stiff demeanor, not flinching as the anonymous questioners trooped in.

* * *

U1: "good afternoon Mr Weasley, we would like to ask you a few questions, and would appreciate your cooperation"

PW "Good Afternoon, will I be able to face my questioners?"

the Unspeakables looked at each other and to the agents, and came to an agreement.

U1; "yes, on a limited basis, I am Algernon Croaker, Director of the Department of Mysteries, and this is Frank Wills, my Head of Security"

with this, the two Unspeakables lowered their hoods.

AC: "I must apologize, but for the moment, Agents Smith and Jones need to keep their anonymity"

Percy frowned a moment and nodded.

PW: "I understand the need for operational security"

Smith and Jones eyes met with a question.

Smith: "you were contacted recently by a Death eater who attempted to bribe you , to get in contact with your brother"

PW: "This isn't about my job with the Ministry"

AC: "No this is about an attack on Harry Potter, using your brother for access"

PW: "Since this involves my family, can I ask that my Father be brought in?"

AC: "Are you sure you want that?, Your father is well respected in the Ministry"

PW: "This is Family, and Harry is considered part of my family"

Agent Smith: What is Harry Potter to you? We had heard that you are at odds with your family"

PW: "Not everything is as it seems"

Agent Smith: "How so"?

PW: "I'll wait for my father, if you please"

recess 10 minutes HS Wills leaves to retrieve Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office

AW: "Hullo, whats' going on, why is Percy here?

AC: there was an attempt toward Harry Potter, and we were questioning Percy here, concerning that event"

AW: Harry? What kind of attack?, where did your information come from?"

AC: "Agents Smith and Jones here," "Captured a Death Eater lurking in the Department of Mysteries, in the Prophecy room" "Upon questioning, this DE revealed that he had tried to bribe Percy here into contacting his younger brother Ronald, to get some hair for Polyjuice" he paused as Arthur's face remained impassive "We believe this was to be a DE assassination and kidnapped attempt, directed at both Miss Granger and Mr Potter." "This ties in with some unique information concerning a potential attack on this department soon."

AW: "may I have a moment with my son?" the Unspeakables stepped back and set up a privacy ward around the Weasleys. After a moment, Arthur stood up and indicated he was finished.

AW: "I know you know how to keep secrets down here" he eyed them all , Percy remained silent

"I consider, as do the rest of my family that Harry Potter is a part of my family, and Miss Granger as well," he paused "Is this Death Eater still available for questioning?"

AC: yes, you have questions for him?"

AW: "actually I have information for you." he pulled out his wand and drew a fiery rune in the air, and muttered a Celtic spell. A ring of fire momentarily enclosed the six people in the room.

AW: "now that the secret is bound with those in this room, I have a story to tell" he conjured some seats and indicated sitting.

* * *

"I graduated from Hogwarts in 1968 and immediately married my sweetheart Molly Prewitt, we were close to her brothers Gideon and Fabian, they were much like my sons Fred and George." Percy grimaced. "We worked together, and were in the starting phases of a business, as an importing source for muggle goods into the wizarding world, supplying our people with food and raw materials and the like". We also worked undercover as agents for the light side, fighting against the dark lord Voldemort. "This put us in contact with Albus Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix"

* * *

About this time Bill was born and I had to pull back a bit, and take on a ministry job to support my growing family, so I couldn't go on missions as often" I did what I could, I trained as often as possible with Fabe and Giddy, we made quite a team, I usually planned out the mission, they implemented it, we were quick and deadly, very few of our targets got away." "Dumbledore set us up, he sent us on a mission to capture a couple of Death Eaters for questioning, and all was going well until we trusted the Intel he gave us." Arthur paused, pain fleeting across his face. There was a safe house that we were told would be empty except for our target, the 'spy' promised that it would be a quick in and out." "Well, either the spy lied to Dumbledore, or the spy was working both sides and told Voldemort, because we were set up for a fall, it was a trap, Dolohov, the LeStranges, Crouch Jr. Rookwood" Croaker flinched inwardly at that name. "Some others, Fabe and Giddy fought like Demons, they were awesome. I did ok too, but I got hit, and knocked out, when I came to, Fabian was dead, and Gideon was lying across me, still alive. I heard Dolohov start to AK us when Giddy triggered my portkey, and sent me out of danger."

* * *

Arthur shifted uncomfortably sitting up stiffly, eyes closed, his hands on his knees. He sat silently for a moment or two. "I set my purpose in life to fight against darkness, no matter what source it comes from". He opened his eyes and looked at each and every one of the others. Harry and Hermione, felt as if he could see through their disguises, seeing the real person. "I believe that Albus Dumbledore is just as guilty as Voldemort in the deaths of Fabian and Gideon Prewitt, in the murders of James and Lily Potter, and in the chaos and mayhem going on in the wizarding world today."

* * *

"I believe that there is only one person who can end the reign of terror brought on by these two ...wizards, and I support him and only him in this battle. I have brought my family into the fight, and they are loyal also.

"I and my family support Harry Potter"

_transcript ends, sealed under DOM 4476_

* * *

Harry and Hermione stepped into the light and dropped their disguises. "Why do you support me Mr. Weasley?" "I am only a Fifth Year wizard, I am the same age as your son" Arthur was only mildly surprised to see Harry here in the DOM. "There is a prophecy.." "yes, I have seen it, and that still doesn't explain why you would support me of all people"

"I worked directly for your grandfather, Charlus Potter, who was Algies' predecessor here in the Unspeakables, as an agent, just like your father, and I suspect you will be also." "An agent? What did my father do?, this last directed at Croaker. Algie Croaker hemmed and hawed for a moment, and then decided full disclosure was the best policy. "We believe Dumbledore is trying to control the wizarding world from behind the scenes, that he is trying to rule from the shadows." "We believe he is responsible for the deaths of several of our agents, and ...others." Harry's' face was impassive, revealing no emotion at all. Arthur continued. "I worked directly for your Grandfather, and was welcomed into their home as a son to them, Dorea was like a mother to me, and Charles was my mentor, as well as trainer."

"Under his tutelage, I became much more than Arthur Weasley, muggle loving fool, which is my the way a convenient disguise.." they all laughed at this, eve Percy.. "I became a real threat to the Death Eaters, and the dark followers.. I am The Ghost.." Croaker and Wills looked stunned, Croaker cleared his head first.. "If you are The Ghost, you would know the access code to the locked room.. since you are the one who set the locking charm.." "Certainly, Algie, it's the rune.." he drew it in the air, and it glowed blue, fading to purple. Hermione had never seen that rune, or at least she didn't think so.. "Miss Granger, you won't find that rune in any book, The Ghost and I created it and we are the only two to know it, because it is the rune of a blood oath set by three people, Ghost, Arthur here, Myself and Bode, who was my mentor.."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Alternative Paths

2007

edit 2013

* * *

The group sat around the table drinking tea, Harry had just finished telling Arthur how he and Hermione came to be time travelers, and some of what they had done. The two Weasleys, The two Unspeakables, and the two students. "We need to contact Sirius" Harry reached into his long coat and pulled out a mirror, which he sat in the center of the table, and quietly tapped it with his wand.

* * *

"...you must understand, Sirius, its for the best that Harry returns to the Dursleys this summer to recharge the wards, and keep him safe" Dumbledore could be heard trying to convince Sirius. Harry looked at the mirror with fire in his eyes.."Hell no, Albus, that's the worst thing you could do to Harry, they hate him and treat him like shite there.. before he went to Hogwarts he was starved and beaten and abused like Malfoys house elf, those people are not fit to be anywhere near my Godson, and I won't have it!" They could hear Sirius pacing, like he always did when he was stirred up. "Another thing, why are you making decisions for Harry, I'm his godfather, I'm the one James and Lily wanted to look after him, and I'm being held prisoner here.. whats up with that Albus?"...banging and shuffling was heard.. "Snivillus, I want you out of here!, NOW, GET OUT!" The voice of the greasy git was heard, sneering.."gladly, I have no wish to be in the company of cowards and criminals"... you could just see Snape sticking his nose up in the air and turning away.,

* * *

Harry risked turning on the vision part of the mirror, which Sirius kept hanging on the kitchen wall, opposite the fireplace. Dumbledore could be seen sitting at the table, facing away, in front of him was Sirius, watching Snape get ready to use the Floo to leave. Dumbledore took up his wand and cast a silent stupefy at Sirius' back. Snape turned and watched as Sirius fell to the floor unconscious, and sneered, "thank you, he was beginning to be tiresome."Harry and the others sat in stunned silence as Snape floated Sirius up to the table and laid him out.

* * *

"It seems" Dumbledore sighed wearily "That Mr Black went mad and was cornered and killed in the firefight that ensued.. a sad affair, and I am sure young Harry will be heartbroken.."..."Severus I will need you to make an unbreakable love potion, which we will feed to Harry and ..say Miss Weasley, I control her, she controls him, everyone is happy".. "Surely Albus, you are going to feed more into the insufferable brat's ego?.. you should save the girl for someone deserving.. Draco has shown an interest in her despite her being a Gryffindor.."Lucius will pay well for a healthy heir" "True, true, but who else can we use to control Harry?, the Granger girl is too nosy and might catch on before they are dosed properly.." Dumbledore and Snape sat on opposite sides of the table drinking tea and talking over the unconscious Sirius Black. Dumbledore sat his teacup on the sink sideboard . "Very well then.." he stood and pointed his wand at Sirius. "Immobilus, Ennervate, Imperio" "after we leave, you will wait one hour, and then leave the house, and go to Diagon Alley, and you will use unforgivables and kill and maim as many people as possible."

* * *

Sirus lay on the table looking glassey eyed and said nothing.

* * *

"very well, you will remember nothing of our talk this afternoon, you had a quiet day reading,..obliviate" Dumbledore gestured and Snape moved to the floo, cast in the powder and disappeared , followed shortly by Dumbledore.

* * *

Silence...

"THAT SONOVABITCH, I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"

"Harry, Harry calm Down! We have to go and get Sirius now and stop him from doing anything foolish.." Arthur took Harry by both arms and looked him in the eyes.. "We have to rescue Sirius, and protect Ginny as well"

* * *

"Yes, yes you're right.." Harry took the mirror and yelled into it "SIRIUS!...PADFOOT!" The figure on the table struggled to get free, his voice could be heard, though muffled.. "that useless sumbitch, who do he think he is? Trying to obliviate me.. ..Snivillus! that greasy bag of batshit..."umm, Harry? Where are you? Harry?".. "I'm using the mirror.. stay put, I will be right there.." "umm ok.." Harry gave the mirror to Hermione and asked Croaker "What's your floo address back?, no nevermind, that can be traced.." Harry dove into the fire almost before the floo powder hit the flames.. the fireplace visible in the mirror flared green and Harry stepped out.. "Sirius, are you ok?" he rushed over to the still tied up Padfoot.. "Finite".. the ropes disappeared and Sirius sat up. Harry was looking him in the eyes very closely, "are you all right? Dumbledore imperio'd and obliviated you.." Sirius grinned and shook his head.. "it takes more than an imperio and obliviate to get by me.. 12 years with the dementors teaches you real quick how to block your mind." Harry raised his brows in surprise .."Oh, Really?, So we should have dementors teaching occulumency?.. it would be a fair sight better than Snape's methods.."

* * *

There was a pause for a second and then both Harry and Sirius burst out laughing.. "you are a git, you know that?, you're absolutely right of course..." Sirius hit Harry on the shoulder, making the younger man stagger, a little. "Harry? You've grown since I saw you last..more muscle there fella" Harry smirked and poked Sirius in the chest.."And don't you forget it bub"... forcing his Padfather back..

* * *

Actually, you saw me two weeks ago, by your standards, on the last Hogsmeade weekend, when I told you about the crap Umbridge was doing" Sirius snarled at the name.."Calm down  
Paddy, it gets better. What has happened is I got a message in a bottle so to speak, and it changed everything." "What kind of message, from who?" "From me, from the me in an alternate timeline, who had just lost you in a battle, who sent a message back to himself, that is, me, which created an alternate timeline, where you don't die, to put it rather bluntly".. Sirius looked silently at Harry, waiting for the punchline.. "Yes, Paddy, I am telling the truth.. The short version is, future me got a time turner and sent back a package with memories of a battle between me and my friends, and twelve death eaters, who had lured us into a trap, using you as bait.. I made the mistake of not checking the facts, and not remembering you had the mirror right here on the wall.." pointing at the accusing object.."I guess my excuse would be that Moldy Voldy has been harassing me in my dreams and I hadn't slept in weeks, along with Snape's mindrape in the form of Occulumency lessons," I thought you were being tortured in the Department of Mysteries, and I had to come and rescue you, while you were here all along." Harry sighed, "I floocalled and Kreacher answered, he lied to me" "So I ran off without thinking it through.. my friends would not let me go alone, there were six of us., against twelve Death Eaters.. if we had a bit more training, we would done better." "In the end eleven were captured and sent to Azkaban.." Harry's' face fell, grimacing in pain.. "Hermione was almost killed, and I can't let that happen again."

* * *

"So... how...did... I..? Sirius asked cautiously.. Harry looked off into space.. "You were dueling Bella, and you were not taking it seriously enough, you were laughing, taunting her... she wasn't using anything more than stunners, but she caught you just right.." He looked apologetic.. "You tripped and fell backwards.. into The Veil...you looked rather surprised, actually" Sirius put his head in his hands and laughed.. "Man, what an undignified way to go...,I figured I would be shot in the ass by someone's husband, actually.." they sat silently for a few minutes.. "Have you got any polyjuice here? Harry asked.."You have an appointment in Diagon Alley, and we wouldn't want to disappoint would we?" "No indeed, not at all, let us sally forth and get me killed by aurors.." Sirius stood and struck a gallant pose.."We should probably tell the others whats going on.."Harry indicated the mirror..

* * *

He went over to the mirror still hanging on the wall...  
/Hermione?, you there, love? /her voice was heard, "Yes, we heard the whole conversation, we agree this is the correct plan of action, to get Sirius out of harm's way, and take control away from Dumbledore" "All right love, keep a watch out in the Alley, have Algie and Mr  
Wills observe, but not interfere" Bye" Harry's smile stretched his face, before Hermione signed off she gave him a very subtle wink and kiss. "Now then ..to business.." he tossed in some floo powder Gringotts Noble House access" Sirius grabbed his godson and stepped into the flames.,

* * *

"Dammit Padfoot, give me some warning.. geez!" Harry started to dust himself off when he realized he was not dirty, and more, he hadn't fallen down as usual. "Wha?" Sirius snickered.. "No one has ever told you how to floo have they, that's why you always fall when you come out.." "What do you mean, I do just what I was told...it's just the spinning that throws me off" "Tell you what , here's a trick, spin in place, but keep your eyes focused on me.." "I don't understand".. "like this" Sirius put his arms out and swung them around, and drew them in sharply like a figure skater, he spun rapidly, snapping his head around, keeping his eyes focused on Harry's capturing the eye contact on each rotation.. "Like that, you are spinning around without any control and getting dizzy doing it, thus you fall arse over teakettle every time.."

* * *

Harry nodded slowly, absorbing the idea, then did a spin like Sirius had done, coming to a stop, facing a goblin with a peculiar look on his face.. "How may I help you...Gentlemen...?"

Sirius strode up to the Goblin's desk, actually, he ..strutted. maybe pranced.. Some years in the future, that particular walk would be seen in the person of Captain Jack Sparrow, as played by Johnny Depp.

* * *

"Hello, good sir, I am the notorious Sirius Black, about to be killed by Aurors in battle, and I would like to claim my birthright now if you please" The Goblin looked at him through slitted eyes and muttered in his native language.. "another dang drama queen..." shifting to English "Right away sir, Head of House Ascension form 1042LVQ-A.. Will you be naming an heir, or mistress at this time?" "Yes, I am naming my godson here, Harry James Potter as my heir in all things, to the title of Head of the most Noble and Ancient House of Black, heir to all monies, properties and titles.."  
"Sirius, you can't do that!" "And why not?, the next male heir is your good friend Draco Malfoy, don't you think he has more than enough to be a prick about?"

"Well, if you put it that way, gimme it all, we'll throw you one heck of a wake.."

"That's right, give me a blow out to remember.." "ahh, here we are.. A goblin brought in a carved wood box and deposited it on the desk. He was flanked by two massive guards in armor.. "this box contains the icons of the Great and Noble House of Black, I give it into your care" he made the formally required statement and bowed to his superior and nodded to the two humans, and withdrew, the guards stayed though, standing quietly at the door.

* * *

"First, we identify who you actually are, and what , if anything you are entitled to.."

he laid out the appropriate forms, and handed Sirius a black quill with a blood red spine.. "that's a blood quill" Harry blurted out. "Of course it is, it's standard when signing official documents and the like, where did you see one?" "Err.. Harry shifted and covered his right hand with his left.. "I must not tell lies".. the words almost forced themselves out of his mouth.. Harry.. are you ok?" Sirius threw down the quill and took his godson by the arms, looking into his eyes with worry.. then noticed the hand covering the other.. and pulled them apart.. "I must not tell lies...how did this get here?" Harry looked down, ashamed.. I had to do lines in detention.. with Um..Umb..the Toad.." "Lines? With a blood quill?..who is running that asylum?"

* * *

"How many detentions?" he asked with a hard tone.. "Erm.. Hermione said it was something like 67 hours over the year.." "WHAT?" "Forget it Sirius, it's done.." the goblin interrupted.. "Actually, Lord

Potter, if what you said is true, this toad person did you a very serious disservice, in fact forced an unlawful contract upon you, which may be grounds for a lawsuit, or even over a duel to the death, depending upon the severity of the crime.."

* * *

"I think we need a solicitor to advise us.. sir?.. er, I don't know your name, I apologize.." "My name is Clawgut, Lord Potter.. "I am very pleased to meet you Clawgut..I thank you for the information, and I formally ask if you have any recommendations for a solicitor?, someone honest, and not affiliated with Tom Riddle and his associates.." "Lord Potter, there are many types of Solicitor, if you wanted to do business in the Muggle world, I, personally would recommend a Mr Ted Tonks.." "I have met his daughter and his wife is Sirius' cousin.." Harry put forth.. "If you want to follow up on legalities with the wizengamot or business in our world, I will point you to Mr Kaglun of Kaglun, Greith and Tonks.."

* * *

A phrase welled up in Harry's mind, he took a chance.. "The Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter extends our thanks and gratitude to the clan of Clawgut" with that he bowed formally.. the surprised goblin bowed back. "Shall we be about our business?" They all nodded in assent and Sirius went about signing the appropriate paperwork. Sirius kept looking strangely at Harry who looked on the proceedings quietly thinking about things. With a flourish Sirius signed the last paper and stood. Opening the box there were an assortment of rings. The largest was obviously the Head of House ring, a single carved gem of pure black. The next sized ring was the same type gemstone, but smaller, the heir's ring, the third was a silver band with a black stone, but feminine looking. There were also a pair of bracelets, a beautiful necklace and a tiara with black stones and diamonds. Sirius took the ring and paused before slipping it on his right ring finger He stood up straight as he could and announced formally."I, Sirius Orion Black claim what is mine by right. I claim the Headship of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black" With that he slipped on the ring and glowed with a dull greyish aura as the ring accepted him. He shook his head to clear his mind and Harry had to suppress a laugh as he got the image of Padfoot shaking off the rain.. He gathered up his dignity and then asked the goblin Clawgut if he could make declarations of intent and have them recorded. The Goblin agreed and Sirius proceeded.. "I, Sirius Orion Black declare this day that I am adopting my Godson, Harry James Potter as my own son and heir, so mote it be!" the Aura glowed again, this time around both Sirius and Harry.

* * *

Harry stood at attention and replied "I , Harry James Potter accept Sirius Black as my adoptive father" this time the glow was brighter, and more blue.. "Furthermore, I accept the title of

Heir to the House of Black.." brighter still.. Harry felt a foreign magic flow through his body, and wondered what was the effect of this..he looked expectantly to Sirius with a mild worry just under the surface..Sirius took the Heir's ring and put it on Harry's right hand pinky finger. "Your ring finger is reserved for the Potter ring, you will always be a Potter first, even though you are my son by adoption."

* * *

Clawgut looked on expectantly, Would the Lords Black like the Potter Family Rings brought up? The men looked to the goblin with a question.. "We can do that now? I'm only fifteen.." Harry asked warily.. "It depends on what your parents and grandparents put in their will, but that can be superseded by the fact is, since you are now the heir of a major house, you are also considered an adult, at least by the Goblin Clans, even if your own ministry does not.." Harry thought about it a moment and nodded..asking Sirius "Was there a ring for my mother as a Potter also?" "There was a ring indeed, I was there when James gave it to Lily as a promise ring, why are you going to give it to Hermione?" "Maybe.." he smirked, turning to greet the ringbearer Goblin along with his two guards. "thank you for making an extra trip today, I do appreciate it" The goblin looked surprised to receive thanks and looked to Clawgut for direction. The elder goblin made a subtle handsign that Harry recognized as Goblin battle language. His head spun for a moment as knowledge flooded in..He closed his eyes for a moment as he swayed, slightly off balance.."Harry, what's wrong?!" Sirius grabbed him and kept him from falling.. Harry shook himself "Erm.. I'm ok Paddy, just a bit dizzy.. I'll tell you later.." He turned and faced Clawgut and his demeanor took on a fearsome mein..

* * *

"I would speak to the Leader of the Clans as to an alliance between the Houses of Potter and Black, and the Goblin Nation" Delivered in perfect gobbledygook, albeit with a slight human accent. Clawguts eyes widened in surprise, and the ring-bearer jumped back in fear.. the guards did what soldiers do, they waited for their orders. Clawgut paused for a moment and then hit the button on a perfectly ordinary telephone system. He barked several orders and hit another button. "While we wait, Lord Potter, will you take your Head of House ring?" "You should Harry, you need the protections that it will give you against Dumbledore and the Ministry" He took the ring from the chest and looked at it.. "My father and grandfather and his father and all wore this ring.." "I need Hermione here.." he took out his mirror and called her "Mione, where are you? Mione?" / "yes?, I'm here"/ I'm here at Gringotts with Clawgut, can you get over here?, I need you".. / we're leaving the DOM now, we'll be there in ten"/ "Make it quick, we have to send 'Sirius' to his fate" / "check" / he turned to Clawgut "We will need a secure meeting room and someone to guide my associates in." "It shall be done, please follow me" the Goblin led them from the office to a secure meeting room. "While we are waiting, I need to make some declarations..can I get a witness?" Harry and Clawgut both nodded.. "Well then, I Sirius Black as Head of the Black Family declare the marriages of Narcissa Black Malfoy, and Belliatrix Black Lestrange to be null and void " a pulse of light came off Sirius and fled the room. "I Sirius Black, as Head of the Black Family Declare that Andromeda Tonks is an honored member of the Great and Noble House of Black, with all the perks that association entails." another pulse of light. Sirius staggered a bit with that..

* * *

"One more... I Sirius Black declare before all the gods and magic itself that Harry Potter-Black is my son by adoption and by blood, and he is the heir of the Great and Noble House of Black" Sirius used his wand and cut his wrist, grabbed Harry's wrist and did the same, he bound them together for a time, as the blood flowed freely down their arms. The glow around them grew bright and they both collapsed wearily into chairs, as they drew apart. "You are now a Black by blood,Harry, and no one can take that from you.." The door opened and Hermione rushed in, directly into Harry's arms.. followed by Croaker in his unspeakable robes and Arthur Weasley.

* * *

"I sent Frank back to the DoM offices to finish his preparations, also for plausible deniability.. the less people who know, the better." Croaker sat heavily in one of the chairs, and stood the bound and unconscious DE up in a corner. "Percy went back to the Ministers' office to oversee the situation, he will be in touch." Arthur was terse, not like his usual friendly self, but more like the battle hardened warrior he was.

* * *

Harry called them all to silence "We are under a time limit here, Dumbledore put Sirius under an Imperious curse.." he looked at his watch.."forty-one minutes ago, since then, we have has ascensions, adoptions and the beginnings of an alliance" he indicated the silent arrival of Ragnok, the head of all Goblin clans, and the Director of Gringotts. The Head Goblin tilted his head slightly, acknowledging his greetings. "Do Carry on Lord Potter, we will have our discussion.."

* * *

"What we are discussing here is the destruction of the Wizarding Government structure, for it is totally corrupt, and overrun with criminals, being manipulated by outside forces from both sides, and not doing it's job in defending our people at all." Harry paced.. "I don't want to run the government, I don't want to be a King, Emperor or dictator, I just want to be Harry Potter, wizard, maybe teacher, father and husband..but to do that, we need to shake things up a bit." "I want for every magical and intelligent creature to be treated equally, not abused or enslaved, or looked down upon. I want people to respect each other and not judge them by whose blood runs in their veins." I want proper rules and laws enacted and enforced with equal rights for all." Hermione was beaming at him and a smile crossed his face. "I want to spend the rest of my life with my girlfriend and have a bunch of kids.." they both blushed. "Time to get this under way.. Director, do you have anything to say before we start our revolution?"

* * *

The head Goblin was old and scarred, he had fought many battles.. he looked his age, which was considerable.. "Lord Potter-Black...I have lived and fought for many years, and the most dishonorable of opponents have been wizards, particularly those of the Ministry." he paused.. "I would relish going into battle against such." The humans looked at each other wondering if this would be the start of another Goblin Rebellion. "But I shall not at this time, for it seems there are factions in my own people to deal with.."

* * *

As fate would have it, there was a clamor in the hall outside. Harry motioned for the others to move back to the side of the room opposite the door. He used hand signals the goblins recognized. The guards inside obeyed. and flanked Ragnok and Clawgut, protecting their leaders. The doors burst inwards revealing a band of warriors in battle armor led by an armored goblin carrying a short sword.

* * *

Harry glanced over his shoulder to Hermione, and whispered "sheildstones" "On it" she muttered back as she dug inside her long coat. Harry turned to face the invaders.."Who are you and why do you interrupt this business meeting?". he spoke in English, not wanting to give any advantage. The leader spoke. "Stand aside wizard, this is not your battle." "We have come for the Director,, and will have his liver today"

he turned to his subordinates, and said in the goblin language "slaughter the humans on my mark."

* * *

The leader started to step forward and his warriors stepped to the sides to get to the humans. Two things happened. Hermione tossed four stones in the air which flew to the corners of the room, a silvery transparent shield snapped into place. The Goblin warriors were stunned that they bounced off the the shield, and turned to their only available enemy, Harry who stood impassively waiting for the reaction. In perfectly, though as mentioned with a human accent, Gobbledygook, "Director Ragnok is here at my request, and therefore under my protection. ..stand down if you want to live." The attackers said nothing and charged, assuming they were the superior force. Harry spun, kicking and ducking as needed, as the warriors attacked.. he had yet to return the favor, staying only on the defensive. Calmly as he kicked a charging goblin under the chin, causing him to fall back into the shield where he twitched and sparked.."I don't really want to kill your people, you know, we can avoid this.." he didn't break a sweat. "KILL THEM!" the leader screamed..all the remaining warriors in the group charged forward,, hoping to overwhelm the opponent.. A light flashed, and Harry sped up, to an almost invisible pace. the light swung and slashed and various body parts came flying out of the fray, until no one was left standing except Harry and the opposition leader. The floor was strewn with the bleeding, smoking body parts of an entire squad of goblin warriors.

* * *

Hermione dropped the shield and stowed the shieldstones. Ragnok stepped forward and looked ?Harry in the eyes.."I am sorry you had to do that, but I thank you for your help. Harry nodded and stepped back as Ragnok turned to the invader's leader. "Yagnik, you took a risk, attacking an enemy whom you did not know, and you failed." The younger goblin grimaced. "You have valid concerns for the goblin nations and I agree with almost all of them." He continued.."I have been constrained by the accumulated rules and regulations placed on us by the wizards over the years, and I want change just as much as you do." he gave what was a goblin grin.."In fact I was in the same position as you a mere 182 years ago, when I challenged the past director.." he became serious.. "Yagnik, I would ask you a question..will you join me and become my chief adviser in changing our world, and our relations with the wizards?"

* * *

"Director, if I may?" Ragnok nodded.. "Hello, my name is Harry Potter, and my friends and I are working towards overthrowing our government'. "It seems you and your friends have some sort of problem with the way your government is run, and are trying to make changes.." he paused. "We are after the same thing, and I believe we can work together to help both our peoples."

* * *

The Goblin leader was torn between snarling at the human who had killed his best warriors and then turned about and asked forgiveness.. the warriors died against a superior fighter. They failed. Therefore they had no right to their former position as Champions.. an insult it was.. but to be bested by a mere human, shameful.

* * *

"Director Ragnok, will we be able to work together with your opponent here?" Harry pondered.. It's never a good idea to fight a war on two fronts.. is there some way we can come to an agreement toward the greater good ?" He turned to the opposition leader. "Honorable Warrior, I do not know your name, but I see in your eyes the desire for what is best for your people.." The younger goblin cautiously nodded.. Harry continued.. I believe that over the years, Director Ragnok has been forced to accept agreements from the Ministry, who unfortunately doesn't appear to recall history, and the causes of almost all the Goblin Rebellions over the centuries.." the Director nodded in agreement. "It seems pretty stupid to me, that we wizards trust our entire economy in the hands of people who we make hate us because of our unfair treatment, am I correct?" They younger goblin snorted in derision. "Wizards are fools and weaklings.. if they are not strong enough to survive, they deserve to die!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Alternative Path

2007

edit 2013

_previously..._

_The Goblin leader was torn between snarling at the human who had killed his six best warriors and then turned about and asked forgiveness.. the warriors died against a superior fighter. They failed. Therefore they had no right to their former position as Champions.. an insult it was.. but to be bested by a mere human, shameful. _

_ "Director Ragnok, will we be able to work together with your opponent here?" Harry pondered.. It's never a good idea to fight a war on two fronts.. is there some way we can come to an agreement toward the greater good ?" He turned to the opposition leader. "Honorable Warrior, I do not know your name, but I see in your eyes the desire for what is best for your people.." The younger goblin cautiously nodded.. Harry continued.. I believe that over the years, Director Ragnok has been forced to accept agreements from the Ministry, who __unfortunately__ doesn't appear to recall history, and the causes of almost all the Goblin Rebellions over the centuries.." the Director nodded in agreement. "It seems pretty stupid to me, that we wizards trust our entire economy in the hands of people who we make hate us because of our unfair treatment, am I correct?" They younger goblin snorted in derision. "Wizards are fools and weaklings.. if they are not strong enough to survive, they deserve to die!"_

"In some ways I agree with you, but there are those who are innocent, those who never had a choice in making any decision, and those who have had their rights taken from them by those who lust for power." he looked down sadly.. "Our nation is today overrun by three men seeking power.. The least threat is the one who gets the most attention, Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort.. his methods are merely death and destruction of anyone who stands in his way, he has no real plans, other than to use the populace as cattle to be used and slaughtered." "By taking away his support and followers, he will weaken and eventually be forced into a confrontation, he will fight fiercely, but ultimately he will fail." "there is a prophecy, a rather questionable one at that, which if interpreted correctly, I am the only one who can defeat him, which is why Dumbledore has manipulated my life for the last eighteen years..yes eighteen, because he started his manipulation before I was born.."

Those watching gasped at the revelation.. Harry continued.. "The second is Cornelius Fudge, or whomever is in office at the moment, because whoever replaces Fudge will be just as bad while the existing laws are in place." The Ministry of Magic for Britain and the UK is hopelessly corrupt and behind the times in so many ways.." he sighed.. I hope we can find someone who will be willing to step up and do the job.. it will be painful and unforgiving, and thankless, but it needs done."

"The biggest threat to our worlds, yes both the Goblin Nations and The Wizarding world is one man., Albus Dumbledore, or whoever it is inhabiting that person.. I do not know yet if it's really Dumbledore or has he been suborned." He looked each person or being in the eyes and they all knew deep inside , that he was correct, and that the fight would be epic..if they allowed the fight to proceed.

"Dumbledore, with the help of Snape, created the entire myth of 'the boy who lived' and have kept it alive all these years..no one was there when whatever happened, happened. No one has any information as to what occurred on Samhain, 1981. for all we know, Tom got depressed and tried to kill himself."

"Hermione and I have searched my memories of that night , but we have found nothing conclusive, after all, I was only 15 months old then.." Harry took Hermione's hand and drew her to his side.. "first, a dodgy prophecy from a suspect seer, although she is related to the famed seer, Cassandra Trelawney, her given name is actually Sybil Lovegood, she's Odd Lovegoods' sister, Luna's aunt." "Be that as it may, the 'prophecy ' was partially heard by a lurker, one Severus Snape, who took the first part and went directly to his master, Voldy, and somehow convinced him that there was a threat, thus changing Tom Riddle's original plans.. which were to seek immortality, not take over the world."

"This is where the time line is iffy.. did Dumbledore know what Snape was doing, or ..did he send Snape on that mission?..a question to ask, I am sure.." Harry's face grew hard.." My parents.. why did they go into hiding at a relatively unprotected location like Godrics Hollow?" "Potter Manor is huge, secure, unplottable. No one but me knows where it is..they could hide for years there effortlessly, bring in the Longbottoms and had miles of space left over.. " "Sirius, whose idea was it to use Godrics Hollow?, and Who cast the Fidelius spell there?" Sirius ' face grew dark, very dark and angry.."Dumbledore" he spit out the word like a curse. "there you go, Dumbledore.. Who was the secret keeper?..Peter, right?, but if Dumbledore cast the spell, would that not make him ALSO a secret keeper?." Sirius nodded .. "Next question.. who would be in a place to know this information?"...the older people in the room thought about it for a moment.."realization dawned.. "That's right., the Longbottoms.." "Who really told Voldemort where my parents were?, was it Peter?, Snape?, or was it Dumbledore himself?" Harry tapped his scar "I have a direct link to Tom,maybe I should ask.."

"we're at least an hour past the deadline, what do we do about me dying?" Sirius asked.."I'm not sure it's the best idea anymore..Director, er I still don't know your name.." he looked apologetically at the younger Goblin..

"My name is Yagnik, Harry Potter, and I am well pleased to meet you.." "Well, I am also pleased to meet you, Warrior Yagnik... As I was saying, what is your opinion of what we should do with Sirius.. shall we kill him off or what?" Yagnik considered.."If you want to kill him, then.." he stepped forward and started to pull out his short sword.."NO!, wait!not really! Yagnik looked at him crossly "Either you want to kill him or not..make up your mind!" he snapped his sword back into it's sheath.. "crazy wizard" he mumbled

"Madam Bones, I need to ask..Who amongst your aurors can you trust to not be controlled or loyal to Dumbledore ?" she pondered for a moment.. "Travis Biller and Gavin Roberds are fiercely loyal to what is right, neither have ever been tempted by bribes or dark lords." "I trust them with my life and more, my family, I think you know how I feel about Susan.." "Indeed I do.. , now then, do you think they will capture the escaped Sirius Black rather than kill him outright?" She called them to come into her office.."lets ask"

Harry explained an outline of the last sixteen or so years, and asked "If we send out Sirius to fulfill the Imperio put on him, could you make it look realistic?, I'm sure that Dumbledore has watchers in the ranks.." Biller and Roberds agreed to the deception, but insisted that there be an interrogation with veritaserum soon afterward.. Harry agreed quickly and plans were made.

Harry came back into the office where they were ensconced and had to tell Sirius to quit dancing around like a boxer, unless he wanted someone to punch him.. and to get himself together for his appointment with the aurors.. "So what are we going to do with our prisoner here?" Arthur poked at the still stubefyed DE.. "Hermione, what are you doing? She had dug around in a closet and found a couple cardboard boxes, which she put on the table.. she did some transfiguration and created a bed, a table, a chair, and a ...chamber pot. Affixed to one side of the box she made a sink, and water supply. "Did you get an urge to play with dolls all of a sudden?" Harry and Arthur grinned as she gave them a look that would start fires.. "I am solving our prisoner problem" she cast several charms on the box and its contents, the last of which shimmered like a clear Jello coating, that faded into invisibility.

"There, a prison that will be escape-proof, easily maintained and cheap to fabricate.."

She then did a charm that created a duplicate, to do this, she had to put another box nearby, and the spell absorbed the mass, creating a duplicate. "It helps to have an equivalent mass, rather than conjuring something out of nothing.. I can conjure up what I need, but it takes less energy this way, and the results are more permanent.." She placed the box next to the other and twirled her wand a bit, both boxes fused into a pair.. She piled on some more boxes, and did it again, now there were four cells.. "That's enough for today." The adults and goblins in the room just stared with wonder.."Harry, will you bring me the prisoner, please?" He floated the prisoner over to her, and laid him on the table in front of her craft project.. "His wand please?" he handed it over.. "We did get a priori incantatum on that wand, did we not?" "Yes, but let let Madam Bones do it so she can see for herself.."

Harry handed the wand to Madam Bones who laid it on a piece of parchment and cast the spell. _"ostendo prior carmen planto record en membrana"_ the wand glowed and a list of spells and curses wrote themselves on the parchment, along with the name of the owner, age, and several other pieces of information. Madam Bones took the parchment and looked at it closely, tuttutting over the unforgivables and near-unforgivables.. "Based on the evidence here, this wand was used in rape, torture and casting the killing curse.. this evidence alone is enough to convict this person.." she dropped her monocle and handed the paper to Biller.. "Why would you want to give this person his wand back?

Hermione nodded and went on.. "As a demonstration, I am not showing off, I am taking the opportunity to show a better way.. I did not create these spells, they have, however been modified for use here.." she turned to address the prisoner, when Harry put in sotto voce, "She is being humble.. Hermione has more than memorization of books, she has the skills to synthesize knowledge and make leaps of intuition that boggles the mind.. the only other person I know even close to her ability is Luna Lovegood.." Hermione smiled at him and worked her magic and the prisoner on the table shrank, smaller and smaller until he was six inches tall, which worked out perfectly because the four joined box/prison cells were one cubic foot each. She floated the prisoner up and laid him on one of the beds. The silvery shield rippled as the body floated through it. She whispered an 'awaken' spell and the watchers could see the prisoner sit up and shake his head to clear it. He looked around, checking out his surroundings. Took up his wand and cast a few spells about, looking for a way out. "From his viewpoint, he is in an enclosed room, with no doors or windows, and no lights, just a glow from the ceiling. The prisoner was getting angry now, throwing ever more powerful spells at the walls, the floor, the sink.. the spells just disappeared, having no effect at all. He was yelling at the top of his lungs, but the sound the watchers heard was tinny like a mouse.. "I can replicate as many of these as you need, there is little need for dementors, extra guards.. I could put this in my laundry room and have my cat Crookshanks guard them all".

"The box prison is portkey and apparition proof, the shields around it act as a 'ground' as it were for magic.. you could have a dozen powerful wizards casting full strength, and it wouldn't make a ripple, in fact, adding magic increases the strength of the shield." Harry picked up the discussion.. "What we are proposing is this.. Voldemort is only around because there are people who support him."

if we take away his base of support, it weakens his power structure, takes away from his finances.. it should cause him trouble., and We aim to create trouble." "Madam Bones, Our nation is in crisis, and we think that this will be a humane and honest solution to the problem, we will detain as many Death Eaters as possible, and when the time is right, have fair and legal trials, after this is all over." he paused and considered.. "Our other option is kill on sight any masked Death Eater, no matter who they know or pay off." Hermione interjected.. "We would like to have a humane method of punishment, for ethical reasons, and if for no other reason than, that we are better than that."

Harry squeezed her hand.. "I was feeling hypocritical about polyjuicing this guy and sending him out to be killed, it didn't set right with me, although I was stirred up about it earlier, it doesn't make it right" "After he gets a trial and judged we kick his sorry ass through the Veil, so be it.."

"All right..Showtime.." Harry and Hermione switched their disguises to Neo and Trinity and went out to the front steps of Gringotts. Harry grabbed Sirius and hugged him tightly. "Now don't get yourself killed, I can change the time line only once you know.."

Sirius walked calmly up the center of Diagon Alley, minding his own business, wand held discretely at his side, it was oddly refreshing to be himself and not disguised.. he looked in shop windows and greeted the other shoppers with a smile, until he was spotted by a couple Aurors, Dawlish and Grenville. Dawlish shouted, rather than be professional, "SIRIUS BLACK YOU ARE UNDER  
ARREST THROW DOWN YOUR WAND AND SURRENDER!" this caused panic in the street, people screaming, running for cover. Sirius did nothing but step behind a pillar, keeping an eye on the shouting Aurors, waiting for his protection to show up.. Dawlish and Grenville skipped from pillar to post, throwing spells wildly in Sirius direction, finally coming up on the pillar Sirius was hiding behind.. "DAWLISH, GRENVILLE, STAND DOWN!" Biller didn't need a sonorus charm for his voice to be heard throughout the alley.. Biller and Roberds strode down the middle of the street side by side, with about 8 feet between them, their Robes flapping in the wind, looking all the world like a couple gunfighters in the old west.. "But, Sir! he might get away, he's a dangerous criminal!" "NOW! DAWLISH!"

Dawlish and Grenville had Sirius bracketed, only because Sirius had done nothing to escape or fight back.. Dawlish had grabbed Sirius by the shoulder and was about to jerk him about when his superior had ordered him to stand down.. he had tried to argue, but his superior did not agree with his knowledge of dark criminals like Black.. so he passed judgement., he stuck his wand in the criminals side and cast cannon blast hex. Black went down immediately, his ribs crushed and his organs severely damaged.. Dawlish sneered at the prisoner. "And thats how it's done,  
Grenville, give them no quarter, curse first" "YOU IDIOT!" Biller immobilised Dawlish and took his wand away, as Roberds lay a portkey on Black and whisked him away to St. Mungos.. "Dawlish, you bloody moron.. Black is innocent.. you probably killed an innocent man.. I'll have you squibbed for this..," Grenville interrupted.."Sir, are you saying that Black wasn't a Death Eater, and Didn't kill all those people?" "Thats right Grenville.. Black is innocent of all charges, he spent 12 years in Azkaban for no good reason than to satisfy corrupt Ministry officials" Biller freed Dawlish and held out his Auror's portkey.. "Come with me" he forced Dawlish' hand on the portkey. Grenville followed along, quietly pondering what had happened..they disappeared in a swirl..

"Well that didn't go very well." Harry sat at the table with his face in his hands, Hermione sat beside him, arm around his waist and her head on his shoulder. "We should have had Biller in place before Siri went out.." "It will be ok Harry, they got him to St Mungo's on time.. look at the bright side, Travis' interrogation found out a hidden DE sympathiser with Dawlish.." "Amelia has put in place orders for every Ministry employee to be interrogated under veritaserum and obliviated.. Croaker and Wills are in charge of getting that done." "Good, shoulda done that long time ago.." he groaned and stood up.. her hands sliding into his. He lifted her effortlessly out of the chair to a standing position.

He embraced her and held her tightly.. he never wanted to let go, and she wanted to live in his arms.. that phrase meandered through her mind, and immediately jumped ship to the news article about Prince Charles' phone calls being intercepted.. she shook her head in amazement, at what people will believe. "I need some rest.. we have been going non stop since the message arrived from Croaker this morning...my head is spinning, and I'm hungry.. he paused to let her loose enough to look into her eyes.. "Tell you what, lets take Mr Wills to lunch and then investigate the hidden door to the Ministry all right? She smiled in agreement and they went, hand in hands to Frank Wills offices.

"So how much can you tell me about your tricks and gadgets? The Security chief sat his coffee cup back down on the table of the commissary they had eaten lunch at.. They were at the far end of the room, with good sightlines to the entrances and exits, and no place for anyone to get behind them, or eavesdrop on them. Harry started pulling out assorted objects and laying them on the table, after checking there was no one around.. Like any typical wizard, he had far more stuff than would fit in a normal coats pockets. "We will share some of these things with certain select people, but by no means all., because we have to have an edge over the Deetz, and there are too many Ministry people in the pockets of those-who-must-be- mudbrains." Hermione smirked, but held her tongue.. Harry grinned at his own joke while she rolled her eyes "The first is our coats, which have a great many pockets and storage spots, is resistant to most curses and hexes, and is stylish to boot.." He reached down and touched a couple rivits on the belt in sequence,... and was in full body armor, combination kevlar and dragonhide.. At the shoulder a sheath, but no sword , currently. "I will be retrieving the

Sword of Gryffindor, but not today.." he touched his belt again and cycled through his various disguises and settling back on his Neo where he started..

"We didn't invent all these things, but we did fabricate them.. My father and his friends had a map of Hogwarts when they were in school, and it is a wonderful thing for avoiding people, or finding them.." he paused.. What we did was figure out the enchantments used and now we can create a map like this in minutes, or a few hours depending on how big the place is." he unfolded a parchment. "This is a map we started today, in the Prophecy room.." Wills started to protest.. "Don't worry, it will be turned over to your department upon completion.. and after we capture the 12 Deetz, and whoever else invades." He tapped the map and the layout appeared as he said the password "Security1" they could see the outlines of the shelves and the doors, but nothing beyond the perimeter of the room.. "We tied this map in with a couple devices used to explore and report.." he picked up an object the size of a tennis ball. It had the shape of a bat stenciled on the side.. he held it up and tapped it with his wand "Wingnut" the ball peeled off layers of bats and it shrank smaller and smaller, until there were none left. The bats circled around once and flew away, up the hall and down, out of sight. The map grew from a single point, halfway across the page from the already visible prophecy room.. the lines defining the halls and rooms grew, with it points defining people, none with names yet. There were rooms with closed doors, the doors could be seen, but nothing behind. "You can see how useful a tool like this can be" Trinity spoke, once the map fills in, and the people are identified, you can keep watch on everything from one location." "Take your wand and point it somewhere in the prophecy room, since the spyders have been there the longest.."

Wills took his wand and pointed on the room, where the tip touched, there faded into view a three dimensional view, although in shades of grey, quite clear and precise.. "Try zoom, and rotate your wand right or left to zoom in and out.." he did so and blinked, it was so disorienting.."You get used to it after a bit.." he lifted his wand and the zoomed area disappeared. "Wow, that's quite the thing" the entire floor they were on was now mapped except for a few closed rooms, since this was a publicly accessible level most of the plan was open.. The bats had gained access to the stairwells and elevator shafts, and the areas above and below were growing. "You go from floor to floor like this" Harry/Neo swiped his finger down, from top to bottom and the level above appeared.. Wills noted that many of the dots signifying people started having names next to their dot. He could see the commissary hall they were in, and saw three dots, labeled, Neo, Trinity, and Frank Wills.. a matter of curiosity, he placed his wand point on their table and a three-d picture appeared, and he could see himself, but the dots labeled Neo and Trinity were just that, dots.. he could see the objects on the table, and zoomed in and out exploring the map. "The reason you can see you and not us, is that we are in admin mode.. after the map is finished we will be visible also." "How do you get a live picture like that?.. he zoomed into the back of his head and tsked over the balding spot.. he lifted his wand and looked Harry in the eye..

"Spyders, the second part of the equation..look there" he pointed toward the gaslight on the wall "See the spyder? Each spyder has eight eyes, and the image you see is a compilation of several spyders in this room.." he reached up and touched one, which crawled obediently into his hand.. and perched on the end of his finger.. "Their total vision covers 270 º each, and the map compiles the vision from multiple sources.. here, let me show you" he tapped his wand on the map and mumbled the correct words , and all the spiders out so far blinked as fine dots in a 3d matrix. "Fin" and it all disappeared. Harry folded up the map and put it away in his coat.. "What we would like to do now is find that hidden access that the DE was talking about, and map out whatever we can find there"

Wills checked in with Croaker letting him in on what was going on, while Harry/Neo called St. Mungos to check on Sirius.. he shut off the mirror with a sigh. "They are going to keep him a couple days, because the damage to his internal organs, they have to replace his spleen and regrow his liver, plus his heart is bruised.." "Oh Harry, at least he'll be all right, you're not going to lose him.." Hermione held Harry tightly, her face against his hair.. "We'll just have to find him a desk job where he won't get hurt.." Harry snorted.. and started laughing, gasping for air.. "man.. snrkk .. I can just see it now.. "Sirius Black hospitalized, deadly paper cut.." Hermione guffawed, putting in her two pence Stapler incidents on the rise.. here, she reached for her bag.. Would you like to see my stapler? "Oh no, not the stapler again.." Wills looked at the two teens who were practically red and about to burst.

He shook his head,thinking... its gonna be interesting to work with these two..

Harry and Hermione and Frank Wills, all in Unspeakable robes, hoods up stepped out of the phone booth at the back of the Ministry, and walked along the side of the building looking for the appropriate hidden marks, eventually found it, a heart, drawn in the dust on the glass of a window. Harry wiped at it to see if it was real, the dust and mark remained undisturbed.. "Interesting".. they looked around to see if there were any watchers or sightlines, found nothing. Harry dug in his coat. "What are you looking for?" Hermione queried.. "Osirus' eye." "Here I have one" she pulled out a package and peeled off a sticker on a roll, Harry took it and took out the map, unfolding it. "Here Frank, this is yours anyway, you keep it" he placed the eye on the map at the appropriate place, did a spell and took the eye across the street with a sprint. Just short of the wall, he leapt up a good three meters and paused, just under an architectural ledge, slapping the sticker in place. A small obscuring charm and he landed silently, coming back. "Check the map, realtime view" Frank did so and saw himself and two obscured dots standing up against the wall looking at the map. Harry put two more eyes on the map at either end of the alley, did it again and placed the eyes. "There, now we have an eye on the secret entrance, set the map to alarm when someone approaches this door area.." Frank put the map away and looked at the teens.."Ready" they nodded, and he knocked on the window. They all set their robes to black, with obscured shadow on the faces, figuring this was probably the wisest choice.

They waited for a moment, and a door appeared in the solid brickwork. Harry pushed the door gently and it opened silently, they could see the back of a departing wizard who had opened the door. Harry sent a silent 'stubefy' down the dark hallway, and the wizard fell to he floor with a thump. Nothing happened , no voices, no sound, no alarms, Hermione got out a bat ball and set it off, the bats flying into he hallway and out of sight. Harry silently stepped into the hall and down the steps, moving up to where the stunned wizard was, glancing around the corners, left and right, Frank and  
Hermione moved into place behind him and tested for charms, spells, eyes, anything they could think of.. They found the locking mechanism for the outside door, quite simple, no charms or hidden traps, a peephole to see who was outside, charmed to see in the dark or light. Actually quite crude, Hermione thought, she could come up with something so much better without straining at all. They waited around five minutes before moving, watching the hidden tunnels grow on the map, seeing the closed off rooms sensed by the bats' echolocational skills.. the map had doors into several areas of the Ministry, all hidden, and all in very secure locations.

The Floo control office, Secure records rooms and storage, Magical beings control office. The women's locker room of the Aurors training area. Several near the Department of Mysteries, but only the one into the Prophecy room on that level. And then, most damning of all..The Minister of Magic's office. No one was in any of the tunnels except the four at the entrance, well the three and the prisoner. Harry put the wizard up against the wall and bound him, handing the persons wand to Hermione. While she tested it and took the priori, whispering the wizards name to the others, Harry awoke the wizard. "Whats your name?" The wizard looked around frantically, "I did what you told me, I haven't told anyone, I promise!" He tried to get free but couldn't budge a muscle below his neck.. it didn't stop him from trying though.. "We'll see about that." Harry took out a small spray, it looked like a breath spray, but the mist was veritaserum. He sprayed it in the man's face and put a bubblehead around him, forcing him to breath it in. His eyes glazed over.

"Who are you?"

"Oliver Bagman"

"Are you related to Ludo Bagman?"

"Yes , he's my uncle"

"Where do you work?"

"Department of Sports and Games"

"Do you work for anyone else"

"Lucius Malfoy"

"Willingly, or unwillingly?"

"He promised me my own department when they took over"

"They?"

"The Dark Lord and his people"

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"Yes"

"What are your orders concerning this door?"

"When I get the signal, to come and open it after checking the peephole"

"Checking for who?

"Checking for His Followers"

"Is there a password?"

"Yes, pureblood"

"Why did you let us in?"

"You looked like His people and you knew the password, and I was told

to expect you today or tomorrow."

"Told by who?"

"Mr. Malfoy"

"Hold still" the still bound man couldn't do much other than be still. Harry looked into his eyes and commanded: "Everything you just told us, every memory of dealings with Lucius Malfoy, every order he has given you, every meeting and action taken as a Death Eater" Harry put his wand to the prisoners' head and pulled out a great glob of memory,, which Hermione captured in a sealed jar.

He released the bubblehead and blew away any remaining mist. "You will remember nothing from the time you opened the door until you return to your desk. Nothing unusual happened. No one knocked today, proceed with your usual duties...Go" The wizard was unbound and walked away, looking neither left or right, not acknowledging their presence. They silently followed him along as he went back to the Department of Sports and games and peeked through a hole, and slipped into the men's restroom and went back to his desk.

They looked at each other and Harry shook his head as he dug out his roll of Osirus Eyes™ and did the necessary charms and slapped it above the door. They headed back to the entrance, placing eyes at important points along the way. Eventually all the entrances and exits were identified, and eyes were placed at the intersections. Spyders were all around, hiding in cracks and walking across the ceiling, a bat or two fluttered by on a regular basis, but no one would notice that unless they stood in one place for a long time. All this worked together to create a realtime view of the complete tunnel system. Harry led the others toward what seemed to be a dead end tunnel, in fact the marks of excavation were still evident, where someone had given up. Hermione asked Frank if he recognized the magical signature that was still slightly discernible on the diggings. "No , I don't recognize it directly, but we may be able to match it up with the records, assuming they haven't been corrupted." Hermione snorted.. "good luck with that!" She continued.. "My parents keep medical records for all their patients, one copy in the office, but another copy at a secure location offsite.. there are companies that do this for a fee, promising weatherproof, fireproof, earthquake proof and complete privacy.. Harry, do you think we should start a business like that for the wizarding world?" "Sure why not?, I thought of this a couple nights ago, except I wanted to create a database of all magical people in the UK, and put them into a database, so we can statistically track who is a Deet and who is not." He went on.."That way as we capture and interview each, we can get them all, even if they are set up as a cell system, which, I highly doubt." They stepped out of a secret door in the main atrium, which made it look just as if they were stepping out of one of the floo entries. "eleventh from the end on the left side, very tricky." "Hold on a minute" he disappeared into the green flames, and came out again about a minute later. "If you have to use that entrance, duck walk, if you stand up you will lose your head..don't forget" he held his fingers at his neck "Six foot inside the door." They nodded in agreement and they went their ways, leaving the crowds behind.

"what we need is some kind of facial recognition software, or charm..something that can see through glamors, disguises.. disillusionment charms..anything.." "Well there are choke points everyone has to go through, in the Ministry, in Diagon Alley, if we can get cooperation with the  
Goblins, ...everyone has to use Gringotts after all.." Hermione ticked off the locations.."If we can create or find a charm that detects the dark mark, this would be a great tool." Croaker put down his teacup and got up from his desk. He went over to the shelves and pulled down a volume, he leafed through it.."This book is everything we have on the Dark Mark , interviews about how it was placed, what has been tried to remove it, everything we have." He handed the book to her, she took it almost reverently "Don't lose it, it is literally one of a kind." She paged through it, and closed it, laying it on the desk in front of her, Harry just sat back and smirked, knowing what was coming next. She pulled out a case the size of a paperback book from her pocket and sat it on the floor near the wall, pressing her thumb to the latch on top, intoned the password. "Library" The book opened up and unfolded itself into three sections of freestanding bookcase, filled with books of all sorts, The center section was a foldout desk, with parchment and cubbyholes and inkwells and quills,a complete study, office.

"Hermione likes to be prepared.." Harry semi-whispered to Algie..he didn't have to whisper, he could have shouted and she would not have paid any attention. She took the book and placed it on the center of the desk area, and lowered a hood over it, with a charmed screen on top. "She took almost two months of continuous work to create this, I had to literally pick her up and carry her away from it, so she would eat and exercise.." "I had to do the same too you a couple times too , you know...get you out of your Dojo" she spoke without turning to them.. "Thats true, I guess we both have our things, don't we.." he laughed, and this time she actually did give him a sideways glance, her smile hidden..Harry continued.."We also have one we use for potions, but that is enclosed in a trunk, I have it here somewhere", he casually indicated his coat.. The light scanning through the book, and the readout on the charmed screen scrolled down, until the thing dinged a bell that sounded exactly like a microwave shutting off. She opened the hood and handed the book back to Croaker, "There you are, good as new"She closed the hood and waited a minute until it dinged again and then opened it once more... "and now there are TWO copies of that book." she took the book off her scanner and went to the right side shelf and slid the books on that shelf aside as if on a wheel, until she found the correct spot and inserted the tome. "I have a team of house elves working for me, building my library, We built a total of five of these once we figured out how to do it" "I found a wizard cabinetmaker in Glasgow, who understands Making, and he built the cases, but Hermione did all the charm work on the scanner section" Croaker could hear the young man speak the word _Maker _with the inflection it deserved.

"If I wanted one of these?" he asked.. Hermione thought about it for a moment.. "If you were to pay cash for it, I would say about two million Galleons, because it comes with access to my library.. tell you what..You give me access to all your books and I will sell you a library case just like this for one Galleon" she looked at him with a question on her face. He though about it for a bit and sighed..he opened a drawer and pulled out a coin and flipped it through the air, and she caught it handily. "Algie, you just made her day, no year!" Harry laughed. She couldn't get the grin off her face. "How did you copy that?, it has copyright charms on it, I put them there myself" He scowled. "Well, I did copy it, but not like you think.." she was proud of her creation. "The copier can copy anything, given enough time, and the right materials.." she picked up a potted plant off the side table.. Croaker had tended that plant for years, and was about to say something, but waited, remembering the statement she had made before. "First you pick the item you want to copy, and put it under the hood, which expanded to cover the plant. She then took the remains of their lunch, a pile of papers that were headed for the trash, and looked to Harry who sighed and pulled a six pack of beer out of one of his pockets, and threw it all in a hopper, which folded out of the bottom under the scanner she looked at the readout on the screen above the hood. "We still need some copper and tin to color the glazing probably" Harry looked into his pouch and pulled out some bronze knuts and handed them to her, she threw them in also. "Ok, hit the copy button." Algie did and watched the readout on the screen as words and numbers flowed down the screen is green torrents. "After a while you start seeing it as real, and not just arithmancy and equations". She indicated various parts of the scrolling figures.."there you see that, this is the pot the plant is in, there is the soil, here are the moisture levels..." he nodded , watching in fascination as the scroll finished.. "Now the entire scan of the plant is in the pattern buffer, waiting to be made."She pulled up the hood and set the plant back on the table from where it came. She closed the hood and and hit the button again. The scrolling data went up the screen this time and after having been shown the different parts of the process, recognized the various parts of the plant.. The hopper below the scanner glowed and muffled sounds like grinding could be heard. He looked at her with a question in his eyes. "Its easier to transfigure than to conjure" he nodded in understanding, as the process stopped, and the appliance dinged. "Go ahead."she indicated. He pulled up the hood, and there, sitting on the platform, was an exact copy of his plant.

"The process works on dead things, on inanimate things and on magical things, up to a point." She continued. "Our experiments show that you cannot create life, we tried with a squirrel, and the body was perfect copy of the live one, but no life force, it seems to work on plants but not animals.. I want to experiment on the lower planarians and non-chordate things and work my way up from there". Harry stuck his two knuts in.. "I think she's been reading May Shelly's journals again..the ones where she documented her uncle's work?"

Croaker looked shocked "Miss Granger, you know that is forbidden!" The witch had the grace to look embarrassed...That is. until Croaker lost his 'official' face and laughed until he was breathless. She turned away, her face red, as she folded up her assemblage back to its pocket size.

"How many books do you have in the Department of Mysteries that I can have access to?" He looked at her curiously as she continued. "I understand that some things should not be shared, but even if I cannot have access, I would like a summary, so if need be I know where to look" "That makes sense, and I agree, I will share as much as I possibly can with you, assuming you will take an oath to keep some of these things out of the hands of the wrong people...Need to know only, understand?" She regarded him through unreadable eyes.. "your requirements are not even close to how I feel about it, so I have no problem making the required oaths." Croaker relaxed.. "You may know, my father was SAS and he has explained to me about risks and dangers of letting loose of intelligence." she put away her library and sat back on the couch with Harry. "My father was a combat medic, he worked undercover with the SAS and patched up and saved the lives of many an undercover agent, in some of the most hostile conditions around" her eyes were haunted. "I picked up some of his memories accidentally when we were explaining legilimency and occulmency to my parents" they sat silently for a few moments as Hermione gathered her thoughts. "He was a Cold Warrior...at least I know they can defend themselves, since they have both had combat training..it took a lot of arguing to get them to keep themselves armed, but they are prime targets because of me.." she looked down sadly, and Harry put his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Come on now love, I think we need to go and get some rest.. tomorrow's a big day.."

Algie Croaker sat silently for a long time after they left, staring at his duplicate plants...


End file.
